Keywords:
Quality assurance, Dosimetric comparison, Developmental disease, Technical aspects, Radiation safety, Imaging sequences, CT, Conventional radiography, Musculoskeletal system, Musculoskeletal joint, Musculoskeletal bone
Authors:
M. A. Shah1, C. Skiada2, M. Siebachmeyer1, M. Njunge1, H. Patel1, G. Nandra1, M. Carpenter1, J. Hutt1, N. Papadakos1; 1London/UK, 2Athens/GR
DOI:
10.1594/essr2017/P-0217
Purpose
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is increasingly being recognised as a cause for hip pain in the young,
mobile patient group.
A complex,
evolving clinical area,
FAI has recently been considered by an international panel to try and achieve consensus regarding diagnosis,
management and terminology (1).
The Warwick Agreement defines FAI as “ a motion-related clinical disorder of the hip with a triad of symptoms,
clinical signs and imaging findings.
It represents symptomatic premature contact between the proximal femur and the acetabulum”(1).
Typically,
the imaging component of the diagnostic triad consists of anteroposterior pelvic,
lateral femoral and occasionally special femoral neck view radiographs e.g.
Dunn views.
The aim of the radiographs is to identify typical cam or pincer deformities as well as other causes of hip pain.
Cross sectional imaging,
CT or MRI,
is recognised as being more sensitive in assessing morphology and has particular use where surgery is being considered (1).
CT is an essential part of the workup for surgical planning.
It permits evaluation of acetabular version and identification and planning of resection margins for pincer and cam deformities.
It also provides valuable information about the quality of the subchondral bone and the presence of more subtle degenerative changes.
However,
as the patient population is typically young,
minimising radiation exposure is of particular concern.
The aim of our study is to evaluate a low dose CT protocol used to image patients with known or suspected FAI.
We compare radiation doses of a newly introduced low dose protocol with standard pelvic CT and plain film techniques.