Radiology diagnostics of the diabetic Charcot neuroarthropathy

Abstract

Diabetic neuroosteoarthropathy (Charcot foot, DNOAP) is the aseptic inflammatory destruction of the joints of the foot or ankle. The outcome of DNOAP is foot deformities of various degrees of severity, which lead to a decrease in the ability to weight-bearing, as well as to a high risk of foot ulcer and amputation. Features of the clinical picture and the lack of reliable diagnostic methods lead to difficulties in the diagnosis of this pathology. Currently, radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and radioisotope methods are used to visualize Charcot's arthropathy. Plain X-radiography, despite its high availability and low cost, is unsuitable for the diagnosis of DNOAP at an early stage. Magnetic resonance imaging is characterized by high diagnostic significance at an early stage and provides valuable information about the activity of the process during treatment, but it is expensive and limited. Radioisotope techniques are practically unavailable and are used for scientific purposes. At the same time, none of these methods is reliable for the diagnosis of all stages of DNOAP, especially the transition to the inactive stage. The present review characterizes the advantages and disadvantages of these types of diagnostics.