ReadMyXray is a website created in 2014 in response to the increasing need for knee x-rays analysis for use in research on prediction (prognosis) of knee osteoarthritis, also called knee OA. In 2016 it was extended to hand radiographs and hand OA.

Using this website we would like to source knee and hand x-ray images from within the general public and health community and then, use the images in building a prognostic tool/system for knee and hand OA.

OA is a chronic disease and a leading cause of disability among middle-aged and elderly persons. In Australia, OA affects more than 50% of the population over 65, at a cost of over 25 billion dollars per annum to the economy and health system.

A major contributing factor is the lack of cost-effective and accurate tools for prediction of OA in joints. Two exceptions in treatment are the weight loss in obese patients and the knee replacement. The weight loss is, however, difficult to achieve and it is often a matter of personal lifestyle choices. Knee replacement costs ~A$1 billion per year in Australia alone. In 2013 we had about 50,000 knee replacements with approximately 20% revision surgery (up 10% pa).

Our research focuses on building a prognostic tool/system for the knee and hand OA. The system will predict who will have OA and progress in OA. Once the system is operational

• tailored treatment plans could be developed to delay the onset of OA and primary knee joint replacement. A therapy, for example, that has a potential to reduce the rate of cartilage loss by 50% could be targeted at patients with predicted high-risk of knee OA, doubling time to the replacement from 11 to 22 years. As a result, some patients may never need this procedure or revision surgery. Consequently, some patients may never need this procedure or revision surgery.
• would improve treatment benefit vs side effects profile, as only patients who most likely would have OA will be advised to undergo therapy
• would reduce costs of clinical trials directed to testing of preventive interventions, treatments and biomarkers, by identifying those at increased risk of OA and sensitive outcome measures, since fewer subjects and shorter duration studies would be required.

You may help those who suffer or will suffer from knee or hand OA by sending knee or hand x-ray images in three easy-to-use steps.

Step 1: Send your knee or hand x-ray image

Your radiologist will provide you with a digital copy of the x-ray of your knee or hand.
Please click here to upload your x-ray image.

Step 2: Get your x-ray reading

We will email you a short report (click here to see the report example) that has

• details you provided
• x-ray image(s) of knee(s) or hand(s) with square regions selected on tibia for analysis of trabecular bone
• analysis results with radiographic roughness measures of trabecular bone

Step 3: Contribute to research on osteoarthritis

Thank you for sending us x-ray image(s).
Your help is essential in building a prognostic tool/system for knee and hand OA!
If you like to contribute further please provide extra details by clicking here.