It is usually a visual diagnosis; the presence of Heberden’s nodes is characteristic.
Optional medical device diagnostics-depending on the results of the history, physical examination, and obligatory laboratory parameters-for differential diagnostic clarification
- Radiographs of the affected joints (gold standard); in the late stage, the following radiologic signs may be seen.
- Osteophytes (degenerative bone changes).
- Narrowing of the joint space
- Sclerosis
- Arthrosonography (ultrasound examination of joints).
- Skeletal scintigraphy (nuclear medicine procedure that can represent functional changes in the skeletal system, in which regionally (locally) pathologically (pathologically) increased or decreased bone remodeling processes are present).