Current Concepts of Femoroacetabular Impingement

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a prevalent clinical syndrome and likely a primary contributor to idiopathic hip osteoarthritis. It is characterized by osseous pathomorphology in the hip that alters normal biomechanics, causing accelerated joint degeneration and characteristic patterns of chondral and labral injuries. Early intervention in well-selected patients can provide symptomatic relief and delay progression to osteoarthritis. Because imaging findings of FAI are subtle, a checklist approach based on current concepts is necessary to efficiently generate imaging reports that advance clinical decision-making. This article details an approach to the imaging assessment of FAI.