Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Musculoskeletal joint, Pelvis, MR, Conventional radiography, Diagnostic procedure, Arthritides
Authors:
A. Aliprandi1, F. Di Pietto2, P. Minafra3, M. Zappia4, S. Pozza5, L. M. Sconfienza1; 1Milan/IT, 2Napoli (NA)/IT, 3Bologna/IT, 4Napoli/IT, 5Torino (TO)/IT
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2013/C-0681
Background
Femoro-acetabular impingement (FAI) is a pathologic condition that was firstly described by Swiss orthopedic surgeon Reinhold Ganz [1],
that is frequently seen in young active subjects,
often in conjunction with top-level sport activities,
in which bony components of the hip joint do not match correctly.
This pathologic condition can be caused by an anomalous junction between femoral head and neck,
by an anomalous acetabular shape or orientation,
or by a various combination of both factors (this latter event is the most common,
occuring in up to 86% of cases) [2].
FAI is currently considered one of the main causes of early hip osteoarthritis,
especially in young active subjects [2].
Despite the large amount of papers that have been published on this topic,
diagnosis of FAI is still challenging and is based on a combination of hip pain,
reduced range of movement,
positive conflict tests,
and specific radiological findings.
Although there are very dedicated imaging tests (i.e.,
magnetic resonance arthrography,
MRA) that can be aimed to detect FAI,
common imaging modalities and general radiologists play a crucial role [1].