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Correlation between MRI and hip arthroscopy in children with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
V Tiwari1, S Gamanagatti2, R Mittal3
1Department of Orthopaedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. vivek_tiwari50@yahoo.com.
Background:
Most of the information available about Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD) at present is gained through imaging modalities including plain radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). But the accuracy of MRI in this disease and its predictive value to reveal various intra-articular pathologies is not known. We correlated the findings of MRI with those seen on hip arthroscopy in children with active stage of LCPD.
Methods:
We conducted a prospective observational study in which MRI findings were correlated with corresponding findings on hip arthroscopy in a cohort of 25 patients of active LCPD below 12 years of age. The parameters noted on MRI included status of ligamentum teres, status of the labrum, synovial effusion if any, condition of the femoral and acetabular articular cartilage including chondral flaps, chondral indentation and intra-articular loose bodies. The indication of performing hip arthroscopy was persistent severe hip pain (Wong-Baker FACES pain scale ≥ 3) after 6 months of conservative management. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for MRI considering arthroscopy as a gold standard.
Results:
Synovial effusion was seen in a large number of patients on both MRI (17) and hip arthroscopy (24). The sensitivity (95% confidence interval) of MRI was found to be low, especially with respect to labral tears [25% (0.63-80.6)] and intra-articular loose bodies [20% (0.51-71.6)]. NPV for synovial effusion was also found to be low [12.5% (0.32-52.7)], although specificity and PPV of MRI were found to be good for all the parameters.
Conclusions:
MRI cannot be completely relied upon for identifying all the intra-articular pathologies in children with LCPD, although it has a good complimentary role. In patients with severe persistent pain with suspicion for joint changes, hip arthroscopy can provide a safe and efficient procedure (better than MRI) for eliciting the associated joint pathology.
Insights
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has limitations in detecting intra-articular pathologies in Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD). Hip arthroscopy is a more effective procedure for diagnosing joint issues in children with persistent pain.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD) diagnosis primarily relies on imaging like radiographs and MRI.
- The accuracy and predictive value of MRI for intra-articular pathologies in LCPD remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To correlate MRI findings with hip arthroscopy results in children with active LCPD.
- To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of MRI for intra-articular pathologies in LCPD.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study of 25 children (<12 years) with active LCPD.
- MRI parameters included ligamentum teres, labrum, effusion, cartilage, and loose bodies.
- Hip arthroscopy was performed for persistent pain after conservative management; sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were calculated.
Main Results:
- MRI showed low sensitivity for labral tears (25%) and loose bodies (20%).
- MRI demonstrated low negative predictive value for synovial effusion (12.5%).
- Specificity and positive predictive value of MRI were good for all assessed parameters.
Conclusions:
- MRI is not fully reliable for identifying all intra-articular pathologies in pediatric LCPD.
- MRI plays a complementary role in LCPD diagnosis.
- Hip arthroscopy is a safe and efficient procedure for diagnosing joint pathology in cases of persistent pain and suspected joint changes.
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