This study concerns the use of total lymphoid irradiation and local joint irradiation in the treatment of animal models of inflammatory arthritis. In addition six patients are to be treated with local irradiation of 1600-2500 rads over the course of the study. To date, we have demonstrated that a combination of 1600 rads of 200 rads per dose fractionalized total lymphoid irradiation and a combination of local paw irradiation of 200 rads per dose in a rat with adjuvant arthritis is extremely effective in obviating the inflammatory process. Four patients have been treated with local irradiation in the past two years. One patient with psoriatic arthritis underwent bilateral total knee replacement seven months later. Biopsy material indicated that the treated joint was minimally inflamed as compared to the non-treated joint. Important and symptomatic relief are not clearly established in this use of local irradiation. One patient with rheumatoid arthritis did suffer an exacerbation of arthritis in the treated knee as well as the non-treated knee when she experienced a generalized flare-up.