1: J Bone Joint Surg Br  1997 Mar;79(2):230-4 

Erratum in:
 J Bone Joint Surg Br 1997 Jul;79(4):693

Evaluation of the acetabular labrum by MR arthrography.

Leunig M, Werlen S, Ungersbock A, Ito K, Ganz R.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Berne, Inselspital,
Switzerland.

Since January 1993 we have carried out MR arthrography on 23 patients with
clinical symptoms and signs of abnormality of the acetabular labrum. Most of the
patients were young adults. Such symptoms are known precursors of
osteoarthritis, and therefore early and accurate evaluation is required. We
assessed the value of MR arthrography of the hip as a minimally-invasive
diagnostic technique, in a prospective study and compared the findings with
those at subsequent operations. All the patients complained of groin pain; 22
had a positive acetabular impingement test and 15 had radiological evidence of
hip dysplasia. In 21 of the patients, MR arthrography suggested either
degeneration or a tear of the labrum or both. These findings were confirmed at
operation in 18 patients, but there was no abnormality of the labrum in the
other three. In two of the patients, MR arthrography erroneously suggested an
intact labrum. Both MR arthrography and intraoperative inspection located
lesions of the superior labrum most often, and these appeared slightly larger on
arthrography than at operation. We consider that MR arthrography is a promising
diagnostic technique for the evaluation of abnormalities of the acetabular
labrum.



PMID: 9119848 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]