sometimes xrays can show signs of joint damage. but i think a lot has to do with symptoms.

It can be a combination of x- rays, blood tests, symptoms. That the doc can determine if arthritis is problem or not.
I have had all the above done more than once.

X rays can show erosions and changes in the joint.

An MRI can be done if x-ray doesnt show up much but the patient still complains of persistent pain in a particular area. As in the case of my shoulder, x ray did not reveal much but MRI showed I did have arthritis in there but also bone spurs and muscle tear.

Blood tests are done especially if there is a lot of swelling and other symptoms as there are autoimmune disorders that involve joint pain and swelling.

And then discussing symptoms with the doctor. There are classic signs and symptoms for some arthritis disease such as Rheumatoid Arthritis. With RA there is puffiy and swelling of joints, heat at the joint, Equal on both sides of body, Fatigue and malaise feeling.

Hi,
I had X-rays, then an MRI scan which really showed up the arthritis. Blood tests can shoe RA too.
Hope that helps! :-))

Thanks everyone!

For me a blood test came back with something that indicated I had pain/inflammation...so the doc did a full body set of x-rays....He could
see the arthritis in my xrays.

There is no definitive test for arthritis. If you have an auto immune arthritis, you may or may not have some abnormal blood tests, or show some markers like rheumatoid factor, ANA, etc. If you have osteoarthritis, there are no abnormal blood tests. Xrays can be very helpful and will show some of the damage of arthritis. However, most everyone will show some signs of joint damage on xrays as they age. Many will have no symptoms at all. Basically, it is initially a clinical diagnosis, based on your symptoms. If you have joint pain, you most likely have arthritis of some sort. We will all develop some as we age. Some people get a lot more aggressive damage a lot younger than others. They say there is no "normal" level of joint damage due to aging. Some people age without developing all the joint pain, but most of us are not so lucky. That's a very long way of saying that damage on xray does not necessarily mean one has arthritis either. If you don't have any pain, you don't have a problem. Rheumatoid arthritis will show some characteristic xray changes in the hands and other joints as it progresses. The whole thing is rather vague and indefinite. Basically, if you have chronic pain in a joint - and it is not infected or acutely injured, you have arthritis of some kind. Hope that helps some.

Vanyel