[Hip degeneration]

Hip degeneration is typically easily diagnosed, based on the combination of clinical findings and plain films showing the four classifical findings: joint space narrowing, osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis and subchondral cysts. Some degenerated hips may have misleading features such as when joint space narrowing is mainly posterior or the main finding is a large subchondral cyst. Rapidly destructive coxopathy results in joint space narrowing and joint destruction over a few months. MRI is helpful in early cases with normal radiographs or in patients with known hip degeneration presenting with acute worsening of symptoms. Follow-up is achieved by measuring the joint space on consecutive radiographs obtained using a standard technique.