Imaging the hip joint in osteoarthritis: A place for ultrasound?

Osteoarthritis has traditionally been imaged with conventional radiographs; this has been regarded as the reference technique in osteoarthritis for a long time. However, in recent years, innovative imaging techniques such as ultrasonography have been used to obtain a better understanding of this disease. This is mainly due to tremendous technical advances and progressive developments of ultrasound equipment occurring over the past decade. Ultrasonography has been demonstrated to be a valuable imaging technique in the diagnosis and management of osteoarthritis of the hip joint. Application of this imaging methodology for osteoarthritis has improved the understanding of the disease process and may aid in the assessment of the efficacy of future therapies. The execution of ultrasound-guided procedures with safety and reliability has a relevant significance in patient management of osteoarthritis of the hip joint. This paper reviews the use of ultrasound as an imaging technique for the evaluation and treatment of osteoarthritis hip joint.