Thirty hips in eighteen patients with avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANF) were evaluated using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and X-ray.
In the preradiological stage, no casen showed a homogenous pattern. In the early stage, MR findings gave a variegated patterns and In the advanced stage, homogenous patterns appeared frequently.
In two cases, specimens from the femoral head were obtained during surgery, and undecalcified sections with tetracycline labelling were made.
Histological findings of the first case (52 y. o. male) showed a homogenous pattern indicating an infarct in an area where there was no tetmacycline labelling. The second case (59 y. o. female) with an inhomogenous pattern showed mixed tralecular bone with or without bone labelling in the necrotic ameas. These resulfs may suggest healing of the infarct bone.
