Imaging in the surgical management of developmental dislocation of the hip

Although the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis and early treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) has reduced the number of patients diagnosed late and decreased the number of operative procedures, surgical treatment is still needed in some patients. Late cases continue to occur as a result of missing the screening examination, being normal at initial screening and missing followup. Dysplasia may persist despite appropriate nonoperative or operative treatment. Many of these patients subsequently undergo closed or open reduction and femoral or acetabular reconstruction. Ultrasound of the hips is generally used up to 6 or 8 months of age, during which time the hips are largely cartilaginous, and radiographs after that time when bony development is more complete. Options to supplement ultrasound and radiography include arthrography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Several advances have been made in the imaging of DDH and its complications including acetabular labral pathology and of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). We review imaging techniques other than ultrasound used in the management of DDH.

Level V, diagnostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.