ABSTRACT
Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis include the identification of biochemical markers of normal and abnormal physiological states, the continued development of anatomical imaging studies and the evolution of function-associated treatment. The discussion of normal joint physiology has progressed from gross anatomy to cellular structure and function. Application of new findings in molecular biology to osseous and cartilaginous structures may lead to development of new treatments for arthritis. The widespread acceptance of MRI has increased knowledge of intra-articular anatomy in the various stages of arthritis, and advances in total joint replacement for all forms of end-stage arthritis have continued.
