Arthritis Differential Diagnoses

Differential Diagnosis

Monoarthritis Differential Diagnosis

Algorithm for Monoarticular arthralgia

• Osteoarthritis
• Osteonecrosis
• Crystal-induced (Gout, Pseudogout)
• Gonococcal arthritis, arthritis-dermatitis syndrome
• Nongonococcal septic arthritis
• Malignancy (metastases, osteochondroma, osteoid osteoma)
• Reactive poststreptococcal arthritis
• Trauma-induced arthritis
  • Fracture
  • Ligamentous injury
  • Overuse
• Decompression sickness
• Hemorrhagic (e.g. hemophilia, systemic anticoagulation
• Peripheral Spondyloarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis, SLE
• Sarcoidosis, amyloidosis
• Periarticular pathology
  • Cellulitis
  • Tendonitis
  • Bursitis
• Transient (Toxic) Synovitis (Hip)
• Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE)
• Legg Calve Perthes Disease
• Lyme disease

Oligoarthritis Differential Diagnosis

• Spondyloarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Reactive arthritis
• Gonococcal arthritis
• Rheumatic fever
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Lyme disease

Polyarthritis Differential Diagnosis

Algorithm for Polyarticular arthralgia

• Fibromyalgia
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Reactive poststreptococcal arthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Rheumatic fever
• Serum sickness
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Serum sickness–like reactions
• Viral arthritis
• Lyme disease

Migratory Arthritis Differential Diagnosis

• Gonococcal arthritis
• Rheumatic fever
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Viral arthritis
• Lyme disease

See Also

Joint Aspiration