It’s also known as a bone cyst.
“Subchondral” means below the cartilage.
These cysts can develop in people withosteoarthritis.
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When it’s damaged, bone spurs, bone cysts, and other problems result.
With osteoarthritis, the blood supply to these areas increases as the body tries to repair the joint damage.
Bone cysts may cause mild-to-moderate pain, affect joint flexibility, or both.
They can also be asymptomatic.
Not all people with osteoarthritis will develop subchondral cysts.
It’s not clear why some people develop the condition and others don’t.
Diagnosis
Subchondral bone cysts are diagnosed with an X-ray.
They will appear as hollowed-out areas in the subchondral bone but are often poorly defined and difficult to spot.
Risk factors for bone cysts include:
Treatment
Bone cysts are not treated directly.
Instead, the doctor will find ways to help alleviate the acute and long-term symptoms of the underlying osteoarthritis.
However, large cysts might not completely go away.
One study of over 800 people with knee osteoarthritis found that about 30% had subchondral cysts.
Bone cysts are not cancer, and they don’t spread to other body parts.
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