Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by cartilage loss, leading to joint space narrowing, subchondral bone changes (sclerosis, cysts), and osteophyte formation (bone spurs). Periarticular erosions, on the other hand, are a hallmark feature of inflammatory arthropathies, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, where pannus formation leads to bone destruction at the joint margins. Therefore, periarticular erosions are the least characteristic finding of osteoarthritis.
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