Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 23, 2026
In Vivo Quantification of Hip Arthrokinematics during Dynamic Weight-bearing Activities using Dual Fluoroscopy
Published on: July 2, 2021
Labral and cartilage abnormalities in young patients with hip pain: accuracy of 3-Tesla indirect MR arthrography
Catherine N Petchprapa1, Leon D Rybak, Kevin S Dunham
1Department of Radiology, NYU Langone Medical Center-Hospital for Joint Diseases, 301 East 17th Street, New York, NY, 10003, USA, petchc01@nyumc.org.
Objective:
Assess the diagnostic accuracy of 3-T indirect magnetic resonance arthrography (iMRA) for hip cartilage and labral pathology detection using arthroscopy as the reference standard and compare it to the published performance of direct magnetic resonance arthrography (dMRA).
Materials And Methods:
Between 2009 and 2011, 290 patients suspected of having femoroacetabular impingement underwent iMRA. Our study group consisted of 41 of these patients (17 males, mean age 35 years; 24 females, mean age 33 years) who did not have a prior history of hip surgery and who subsequently underwent arthroscopy. Two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists separately evaluated the randomized and anonymized studies for the presence and quadrant location of labral and cartilage pathology. These recorded data were compared to arthroscopic reports.
Results:
Forty-one patients had labral pathology, 34 patients had acetabular and 5 patients had femoral cartilage pathology at arthroscopy. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, negative- and positive-predictive values for labral lesion detection were respectively 98, 99, 99, 99 and 98 %; for acetabular cartilage lesion detection they were 69, 98, 89, 87 and 95 %; for femoral cartilage lesion detection they were 69, 95, 93 and 39 %. Sensitivities of iMRA by quadrant (anteroinferior, anterosuperior, posteroinferior, posterosuperior) for the labrum were 100.0, 95.0, NA and 85.7 %, for acetabular cartilage were NA, 58.8, NA and 39.5 % and for femoral cartilage were 50.0, 33.3, 75.0 and 75.0 %). NA indicates results not available because of the absence of findings in those quadrants. Specificities of iMRA by quadrant (anteroinferior, anterosuperior, posteroinferior, posterosuperior) for the labrum (95.0, 100.0, 95.1, 67.5 %), acetabular (100.0, 85.7, 92.6, 79.5 %) and femoral cartilage (100.0, 94.7, 96.2, 85.9 %).
Conclusion:
iMRA at 3 T is accurate in detecting labral pathology suggesting that it is a viable alternative to dMRA.
Insights
3-T indirect magnetic resonance arthrography (iMRA) accurately detects hip labral pathology. This imaging technique is a reliable alternative to direct magnetic resonance arthrography (dMRA) for diagnosing hip conditions.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic imaging
- Diagnostic accuracy
- Hip arthroscopy
Background:
- Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) diagnosis often requires accurate visualization of hip joint pathology.
- Indirect magnetic resonance arthrography (iMRA) is a non-invasive imaging technique used to assess intra-articular hip structures.
- Comparison with direct magnetic resonance arthrography (dMRA) is essential for establishing iMRA's clinical utility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 3-Tesla (3T) iMRA in detecting hip cartilage and labral pathologies.
- To compare the performance of 3T iMRA against arthroscopy, the established reference standard.
- To benchmark 3T iMRA's accuracy against previously reported results for dMRA.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 41 patients (17 males, 24 females) who underwent 3T iMRA and subsequent hip arthroscopy.
- Two musculoskeletal radiologists independently assessed iMRA scans for labral and cartilage pathology, noting location by quadrant.
- iMRA findings were correlated with arthroscopic surgical reports.
Main Results:
- Arthroscopy confirmed labral pathology in all 41 patients, acetabular cartilage pathology in 34, and femoral cartilage pathology in 5.
- 3T iMRA demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for labral lesions (sensitivity 98%, specificity 99%, accuracy 99%).
- Accuracy for acetabular and femoral cartilage lesions was also notable (acetabular: 89%, femoral: 93%), though sensitivity was lower for acetabular cartilage (69%).
Conclusions:
- 3T indirect magnetic resonance arthrography (iMRA) exhibits high diagnostic accuracy for detecting hip labral pathology.
- iMRA is a viable and accurate alternative to direct magnetic resonance arthrography (dMRA) for evaluating hip joint abnormalities.
- The findings support the use of 3T iMRA in the clinical assessment of patients with suspected hip pathology.
More Related Videos
06:28Anterior Cruciate Ligament Transection and Synovial Fluid Lavage in a Rodent Model to Study Joint Inflammation and Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis
Published on: September 2, 2025
08:40Author Spotlight: A Novel 3D-Printed Titanium Implant for Minimally Invasive Treatment of Hip Dysplasia in Young Dogs
Published on: April 19, 2024