Glossary
Erosion: A wearing away of the cartilage and bone in the joint caused by inflammation of the joint lining.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (sed rate): A test measuring how fast red blood cells (erythrocytes) clump together and fall to the bottom of a test tube, like sediment falling to the bottom of a glass of water. A high (fast) sedimentation rate signals the presence of inflammation, possibly indicating an inflammatory disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
