MRI of hip cartilage: joint morphology, structure, and composition. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • BACKGROUND: Accurate, reproducible, and noninvasive assessment of hip cartilage is clinically relevant and provides a means by which to assess the suitability of candidates for arthroscopic or open surgical procedures and the response to such interventions over time. Given the relatively thin cartilage of the hip and the complex spherical anatomy, however, accurately assessing the cartilage poses a challenge for traditional MRI techniques. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We assessed the current status of imaging articular cartilage of the hip through a comprehensive review of recent literature. METHODS: We performed a literature review using PubMed. Topics included quantitative MRI, imaging of the hip cartilage and labrum, femoroacetabular impingement syndrome, and osteoarthritis of the hip. WHERE ARE WE NOW?: With the use of high in-plane and through-plane resolution, reproducible assessment of hip cartilage and labrum is clinically feasible. More recent quantitative MR techniques also allow for noninvasive assessment of collagen orientation and proteoglycan content in articular cartilage, thus providing insight into early matrix degeneration. These techniques can be applied to cohorts at risk for osteoarthritis, helping to predict cartilage degeneration before symptoms progress and osteoarthritic changes are visible on radiographs. WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO?: Prospective longitudinal data registries are necessary for developing predictive models of osteoarthritis and subsequent joint failure to assess the results of surgical intervention and predict the timing of arthroplasty. HOW DO WE GET THERE?: By establishing more hip cartilage registries, a correlation can be made between subjective measures and morphologic MRI to assess the cartilage, labrum, bone, and synovial lining of the hip.

publication date

  • December 1, 2012

Research

keywords

  • Cartilage, Articular
  • Femoracetabular Impingement
  • Hip Joint
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Osteoarthritis, Hip

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC3492599

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 84871622825

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1007/s11999-012-2403-7

PubMed ID

  • 22723242

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 470

issue

  • 12