Ischiofemoral space dimensions for ischiofemoral impingement: is it different in children?

Barış Ten1, Orhan Beger2, Yüksel Balcı3

  • 1Department of Radiology, Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Ciftlikkoy Campus, 33343, Mersin, Turkey. drbaristen@hotmail.com.

Skeletal Radiology
|July 22, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Ischiofemoral space (IFS) dimensions increase with age in children aged 1-18 years. These age-specific values are crucial for diagnosing ischiofemoral impingement in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric orthopedics
  • Radiology
  • Anatomy

Background:

  • Ischiofemoral impingement (IFI) is a hip condition that can cause pain.
  • Understanding normal anatomical variations in children is essential for diagnosis.
  • The ischiofemoral space (IFS), femoral neck angle (FNA), and ischial angle (IA) are key measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the age-related changes in ischiofemoral space (IFS) dimensions.
  • To establish normative data for IFS, femoral neck angle (FNA), and ischial angle (IA) in children.
  • To aid in the diagnosis of ischiofemoral impingement in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of computed tomography (CT) images from 180 pediatric subjects (ages 1-18).
  • Measurements included ischiofemoral space (IFS), femoral neck angle (FNA), and ischial angle (IA).
  • Subjects had no pre-existing hip disorders.

Main Results:

  • Mean IFS was 14.64 mm, mean FNA was 34.61°, and mean IA was 131.52°.
  • IFS increased with age from 1 to 18 years.
  • FNA and IA generally decreased with age, with IA showing an irregular pattern.

Conclusions:

  • Ischiofemoral space (IFS) dimensions increase during childhood and adolescence.
  • Age-specific reference values for IFS, FNA, and IA are valuable for diagnosing ischiofemoral impingement.
  • These findings support the use of normative data in pediatric hip imaging interpretation.
Abstract