Abstract
Between February and September of 2000, we carried out radial magneic resonance imaging (MRI) on 8 hips consisting of 5 pre-osteoarthritis and 3 early stage osteoarthritis. There were 7 female patients with a mean age of 28 years (age range: 16-50 years). The radial MRI results were compared with intraoperative arthroscopic findings. In the weight-bearing portion, from 45° ante rosuperior to 45° posterosuperior, all patients had various tears of the acetabular labrum. In the anterosuperior portion, 4 hips (50%) showed imcomplete tears, 3 hips (38%) showed complete tears, and only 1 hips (18%) showed intact labrum. In the superior portion, each of the 3 hips (38%) showed imcomplate and complete tears. In the posterosuperior portion, each of the 3 hips (38%) showed imcomplete tears and intact labrum. The arthroscopic normal labrum was clearly depicted as a homogenous triangular area of low signal intensity. The incomplete tears were depicted as a moderate signal intensity or central high signal intensity. The complete tears were depicted as a diffuse and obscure high signal intensity. We conclude that radial MRI may be a useful non-invasive diagnostic method for tears of the acetabular labrum in oseoarthritis.
