Osteophyte in an osteoarthritic knee.
This X-ray shows the knee joint, with joint space narrowing on one side (secondary to loss of the meniscus spacer) and a consequent arthritic bone spur (arrowed).
How do osteophytes develop?
Normal bone is in constant flux, with bone being broken down in some areas and generated in others. Sometimes an imbalance forms and a spur of excess bone develops at an edge. This is called an 'osteophyte' or 'bone mushroom'.
...a “small osteophyte” represents rather a transient physiologic bone-cartilage transition at a younger age that undergoes remodelling later in life...."
What is the relationship of osteophytes to osteoarthritis?
In bones that are under mechanical stress, such as in osteoarthritis, larger osteophytes may be triggered, again at the lip of the joint.
Large osteophytes are associated with knee pain and osteoarthritis progression. Small ones in younger patients seem to be transient.
In an osteoarthritic patient group, the presence of an "....osteophyte is the radiographic feature that associates best with knee pain....."
Other relevant links on KNEEguru
A-Z Keywords -
Forum discussions -
- bi-lateral advanced medial compartment joint space narrowing and osteophyte formation - A patient discusses their ongoing arthritic pain
Flowchart -
Dr Sheila Strover - 2018 - Arthritis Flowchart
Primer -
Dr Sheila Strover - 2016 - Osteoarthritis Management Options
eBook -
Dr Sheila Strover - Knee arthritis interventions when you are too young for a total knee replacement