discriminatory. Similar results were obtained when the experts
were presented with the entire hand or foot containing the joint-
of-interest. In the third repair exercise, two independent readers
who scored whole hands and feet using a standard method
found a mean negative score in 22/60 joints-of-interest. All 22
joints were also scored as repair by the panel. Repair was
detected reliably by a majority of the panel on viewing paired
images based on a better/worse decision and assigning
sequence in a set of images that were blinded for sequence by
an independent project manager. In this test set of images,
repair was manifested by a reduction in the size of erosion in
many cases. Size was one feature that aided the experts to
detect repair but cannot be the only one; the experts had to find
other features to determine whether a smaller erosion was the
first in a sequence of radiographs in a patient with progressive
damage or was the second film in a patient exhibiting repair. The
change in size of erosion was also picked up by independent
readers applying the van der Heijde-modified Sharp scoring
method and was reflected in their scores.