Radiologic signs of hip and knee joint degeneration. A potential source of iatrogenesis.

Bilateral x-ray films of hip joints in 326 and knee joints in 193 asymptomatic patients were analyzed to investigate the prevalence of abnormalities. Degenerative changes, if any, were classified according to severity. Bilateral degeneration of hip or knee joints was found in 20% of the subjects. Thus, caution must be exercised in interpreting radiologic signs of joint degeneration in the absence of clinical evidence.