X-rays of hip dysplasia are one of the two main methods of medical imaging to diagnose hip dysplasia, the other one being medical ultrasonography. [1] [2] Ultrasound imaging yields better results defining the anatomy until the cartilage is ossified. When the infant is around 3 months old a clear roentgenographic image can be achieved. Unfortunately the time the joint gives a good x-ray image is also the point at which nonsurgical treatment methods cease to give good results.
Reliability of measurements increases if indicators of pelvic alignment are taken into account:
The most useful lines and angles that can be drawn in the pediatric pelvis assessing hip dysplasia are as follows: [3]
In the adult hip there are important landmarks to be recognized on plain film radiographs: [3]
Measurement | Image | Target | Normal value |
---|---|---|---|
Acetabular depth ratio | Deepness of acetabulum. | >250
| |
Center-edge angle of Wiberg | The superior-lateral coverage of the femoral head. | ||
Reimer's migration index [9] | The percentage of the femoral head that lies outside of the acetabular roof. It is also called the femoral extrusion index. | <25% | |
Tönnis angle | Slope of the sourcil (the sclerotic weight-bearing portion of the acetabulum) | 0 to 10°
| |
Caput-sourcil angle [12] | Superior to the Tönnis angle in cases without joint space narrowing or subluxation. [12] The medial point of the sourcil is defined as being at the same height as the most superior point of caput femoris. | −6 to 12° [12]
| |
Sharp angle | Acetabular slope | <45°
| |
Cervical diaphyseal angle | The angle formed between the femoral neck and femoral diaphysis | 120° to 140°
|
On CT, the anterior center-edge Lequesne’s angle can be measured in a false profile view of the hip or in a sagittal CT scan. In this case the tangent line touches the anterior rim of the acetabulum. Values under 20° indicate undercoverage of the femoral head. [3]
The sciatic spine and posterior wall signs are other signs associated with acetabular retroversion. The first one is considered positive when the sciatic spine is projected medial to the iliopectineal line in an AP radiography of the spine, indicating that it is not just the acetabulum but the whole hemipelvis that is twisted into retroversion. The second sign is considered positive when the posterior wall edge is medial to the center of the femoral head, indicating deficiency of the posterior wall. [3]
Although femoral version or torsion can be measured by radiographs, CT overcomes the inconsistencies demonstrated in the measurements made by biplane radiography. [3]
In 1979 Dr. John F. Crowe et al. proposed a classification to define the degree of malformation and dislocation. Grouped from least severe Crowe I dysplasia to most severe Crowe IV. [13] This classification is very useful for studying treatment results.
Rather than using the Wiberg angle because it makes it difficult to quantify the degree of dislocation they used 3 key elements to determine the degree of subluxation: A reference line at the lower rim of the "teardrop", junction between the femoral head and neck of the respective joint and the height of the pelvis (vertical measurement). They studied anteroposterior pelvic x-rays and drew horizontal lines through the lower rim of a feature called "teardrop". The distance between this line and the middle lines of the junction between femur head and neck gave them a measure of the degree of femur head subluxation. They further established that a "normal" diameter of the femur head measures 20% of the height of the pelvis. If the middle line of the neck-head junction was more than 10% of the pelvis height above the reference line they considered the joint to be more than 50% dislocated. [13]
The following types resulted: [13]
Class | Description | Dislocation |
Crowe I | Femur and acetabulum show minimal abnormal development. | Less than 50% dislocation |
Crowe II | The acetabulum shows abnormal development. | 50% to 75% dislocation |
Crowe III | The acetabula is developed without a roof. A false acetabulum develops opposite the dislocated femur head position. The joint is fully dislocated. | 75% to 100% dislocation |
Crowe IV | The acetabulum is insufficiently developed. Since the femur is positioned high up on the pelvis this class is also known as "high hip dislocation". | 100% dislocation |
The femur, or thigh bone, is the proximal bone of the hindlimb in tetrapod vertebrates. The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum in the pelvic bone forming the hip joint, while the distal part of the femur articulates with the tibia (shinbone) and patella (kneecap), forming the knee joint. By most measures the two femurs are the strongest bones of the body, and in humans, the largest and thickest.
The acetabulum, also called the cotyloid cavity, is a concave surface of the pelvis. The head of the femur meets with the pelvis at the acetabulum, forming the hip joint.
The internal obturator muscle or obturator internus muscle originates on the medial surface of the obturator membrane, the ischium near the membrane, and the rim of the pubis.
In vertebrate anatomy, hip refers to either an anatomical region or a joint.
A hip dislocation is when the thighbone (femur) separates from the hip bone (pelvis). Specifically it is when the ball–shaped head of the femur separates from its cup–shaped socket in the hip bone, known as the acetabulum. The joint of the femur and pelvis is very stable, secured by both bony and soft-tissue constraints. With that, dislocation would require significant force which typically results from significant trauma such as from a motor vehicle collision or from a fall from elevation. Hip dislocations can also occur following a hip replacement or from a developmental abnormality known as hip dysplasia.
In vertebrates, the pubic region is the most forward-facing of the three main regions making up the coxal bone. The left and right pubic regions are each made up of three sections, a superior ramus, inferior ramus, and a body.
The obturator artery is a branch of the internal iliac artery that passes antero-inferiorly on the lateral wall of the pelvis, to the upper part of the obturator foramen, and, escaping from the pelvic cavity through the obturator canal, it divides into both an anterior and a posterior branch.
The upper extremity, proximal extremity or superior epiphysis of the femur is the part of the femur closest to the pelvic bone and the trunk. It contains the following structures:
The iliofemoral ligament is a ligament of the hip joint which extends from the ilium to the femur in front of the joint. It is also referred to as the Y-ligament. the ligament of Bigelow, the ligament of Bertin and any combinations of these names.
PennHIP is a program which evaluates the quality of the hips in dogs. The program was established at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine by Gail Smith in 1993, with the primary objective of reducing the prevalence of hip dysplasia in dogs. To assess a dog's hip joints, three radiographs (X-rays) are taken from different angles while the dog is under general anesthesia. Radiographs are submitted to the PennHIP for assessment, and are assigned a score, called a distraction index. Veterinarians must be trained members of the PennHIP Network in order to take radiographs for these assessments. The scheme is available through veterinarians in the United States and Canada. It was considered as the most evidence-based radiographic method to diagnose hip dysplasia.
The acetabular labrum is a ring of cartilage that surrounds the acetabulum of the hip. The anterior portion is most vulnerable when the labrum tears.
Protrusio acetabuli is an uncommon defect of the acetabulum, the socket that receives the femoral head to make the hip joint. The hip bone of the pelvic bone/girdle is composed of three bones, the ilium, the ischium and the pubis. In protrusio deformity, there is medial displacement of the femoral head in that the medial aspect of the femoral cortex is medial to the ilioischial line. The socket is too deep and may protrude into the pelvis.
Hip dysplasia is an abnormality of the hip joint where the socket portion does not fully cover the ball portion, resulting in an increased risk for joint dislocation. Hip dysplasia may occur at birth or develop in early life. Regardless, it does not typically produce symptoms in babies less than a year old. Occasionally one leg may be shorter than the other. The left hip is more often affected than the right. Complications without treatment can include arthritis, limping, and low back pain. Females are affected more often than males. Risk factors for hip dysplasia include female sex, family history, certain swaddling practices, and breech presentation whether an infant is delivered vaginally or by cesarean section. If one identical twin is affected, there is a 40% risk the other will also be affected. Screening all babies for the condition by physical examination is recommended. Ultrasonography may also be useful.
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a condition involving one or more anatomical abnormalities of the hip joint, which is a ball and socket joint. It is a common cause of hip pain and discomfort in young and middle-aged adults. It occurs when the ball shaped femoral head contacts the acetabulum abnormally or does not permit a normal range of motion in the acetabular socket. Damage can occur to the articular cartilage, or labral cartilage, or both. The condition may be symptomatic or asymptomatic. It may cause osteoarthritis of the hip. Treatment options range from conservative management to surgery.
The hip bone is a large flat bone, constricted in the center and expanded above and below. In some vertebrates it is composed of three parts: the ilium, ischium, and the pubis.
Fractures of the acetabulum occur when the head of the femur is driven into the pelvis. This injury is caused by a blow to either the side or front of the knee and often occurs as a dashboard injury accompanied by a fracture of the femur.
The pelvis is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the thighs, together with its embedded skeleton.
Hilgenreiner's line is a horizontal line drawn on an AP radiograph of the pelvis running between the inferior aspects of both triradiate cartilages of the acetabulums. It is named for Heinrich Hilgenreiner.
Perkin's line is a line drawn on an AP radiograph of the pelvis perpendicular to Hilgenreiner's line at the lateral aspects of the triradiate cartilage of the acetabulum.
Pain in the hip is the experience of pain in the muscles or joints in the hip/ pelvic region, a condition commonly arising from any of a number of factors. Sometimes it is closely associated with lower back pain.