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Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Musculoskeletal joint, Musculoskeletal bone, Musculoskeletal soft tissue, Conventional radiography, Teleradiology, Digital radiography, Computer Applications-Detection, diagnosis, Arthritides, Education and training, Inflammation
Authors:
D. A. G. Torres1, N. Costa1, L. F. S. B. Torres2, J. L. Dias1, P. Mendonça1; 1Lisbon/PT, 2Lisboa/PT
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2016/C-1988
Background
FAI is a spectrum of morphological/anatomical congenital bone deformities and/or angular misalignments that are a major risk factor to premature hip osteoarthritis.
It has an estimated prevalence of 10-15% and affects mainly young individuals,
usually in their 20s-40s.
1, 2
Conventional x-ray imaging is the gold standard for the early assessment of FAI.
Two major types can be distinguished by x-ray films: Cam and Pincer.
(fig.
1)
![](https://epos.myesr.org/posterimage/esr/ecr2016/133610/media/667625?maxheight=300&maxwidth=300)
Fig. 1: Organogram depicting classification of FAI types.
References: Department of Radiology, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, Lisboa, Portugal.
In the Cam type there is a proximal femoral head distortion and the clinical FAI syndrome can be due to a retro torsion of the femoral head or an osseous overgrowth (“cam”),
making the head–neck junction aspherical usually at the anterosuperior aspect of the head-neck junction.
Pincer type is essentially a focal or a general overcoverage of the femoral head by the acetabulum.
In both cases the mechanical conflict will limit the hip movement and can prompt an inflammatory process that will take to reactive ossification mostly on the labrum,
labrum tears,
cartilage damage and ultimately premature osteoarthritis. Surgical treatment of FAI focuses on improving the clearance for hip motion and alleviation of femoral abutment against the acetabular rim.