Femoroacetabular impingement

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Radiology
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is an increasingly recognized cause of hip pain and early degenerative joint disease.
• FAI results from abnormal morphology of the proximal femur (cam type) or acetabulum (pincer type).
• Cam impingement is prevalent in young athletic males, while pincer impingement is more common in middle-aged females.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the characteristic imaging findings of cam and pincer type femoroacetabular impingement.
• To highlight the importance of recognizing these imaging features for appropriate patient management.
• To emphasize the role of early diagnosis in mitigating the progression of hip osteoarthritis.

Main Methods:

• Review of imaging findings associated with cam and pincer impingement.
• Discussion of the pathomorphology leading to each impingement type.
• Correlation of imaging findings with clinical presentation and demographics.

Main Results:

• Cam impingement demonstrates abnormalities at the femoral head-neck junction.
• Pincer impingement shows abnormal acetabular morphology or orientation.
• Imaging recognition is crucial for differentiating FAI subtypes.

Conclusions:

• Accurate identification of cam and pincer femoroacetabular impingement through imaging is essential.
• Timely diagnosis facilitates appropriate treatment selection.
• Effective management can reduce the risk of premature hip degeneration.