Radiological and computed tomographic studies of the width of the normal hip joint in men aged 30-60 years

We made an attempt to evaluate the width of the joint space of the normal hip joint in men aged 30-60 years. We analysed 164 roentgenograms and 68 CT scans of the pelvis measuring the width of the right and left hip joint in four segments of the frontal plane (roentgenograms) and in three segments of the horizontal plane (CT scans). In each segment we determined the mean width of the joint space and mutual relation between the measurements by an analysis of variance and correlation coefficient. It was shown that with advancing age of the patient the joint space increased bilaterally in the inferoposterior part (segment IV on the roentgenograms and segment III on the CT scans). The width of the joint space did not change significantly with age in the remaining segments of the hip joint.