Evaluation of radial-sequence imaging in detecting acetabular labral tears at hip MR arthrography

In recent years, radial imaging has been advocated for improved visualization of the acetabular labrum in magnetic resonance arthrography of the hip. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether radial imaging demonstrates labral tears not visible on standard imaging planes.

Fifty-four consecutive magnetic resonance (MR) arthrograms of the hip that included radial imaging over 2 years were retrospectively analyzed by two radiologists. Standard imaging planes and radial imaging were reviewed for identification of labral tears in four specific areas of the labrum: anterosuperior, posterosuperior, anteroinferior, and posteroinferior. The standard imaging sequences include fat-saturated spin-echo T1-weighted images in the coronal and oblique axial planes, non-fat-saturated T1-weighted images in the coronal and sagittal planes, and T2-weighted sequence in the axial plane. Radial imaging was performed as previously described using fat-saturated T1-weighted sequences.

Using standard imaging planes, 50 anterosuperior, 31 posterosuperior, 10 anteroinferior, and 9 posteroinferior labral tears were detected in 54 MR arthrograms of the hip. Using radial sequences alone, 44 anterosuperior, 25 posterosuperior, 9 anteroinferior, and 5 posteroinferior labral tears were detected. In all four areas of the labrum, the radial imaging did not show any labral tear not seen on standard imaging planes.

In MR arthrography of the hip, radial imaging did not reveal any additional labral tears. Standard imaging planes sufficiently demonstrate all acetabular labral tears.