Measurements of acetabular morphology in healthy children using multiplanar computed tomography reconstructions

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Radiology
• Orthopedic Imaging
• Developmental Anatomy

Background:

• Hip joint morphology exhibits significant variations influenced by age and sex.
• Computed tomography (CT) is crucial for evaluating acetabular morphology.
• A lack of normative CT data for healthy children necessitates this study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the normal range of acetabular morphology using CT measurements in healthy children.
• To analyze these measurements based on sex and specific age groups.
• To provide reference data for early detection of pediatric hip deformities and surgical planning.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of pelvic CT scans from children aged 1-18 years (n=110).
• Measurements included lateral center-edge angle (LCEA), acetabular angle, anterior center-edge angle (ACEA), acetabular version (AcetV), anterior acetabular sector angle (AASA), and posterior acetabular sector angle (PASA).
• Data were stratified by sex and age groups (2-7, 8-11, 12-18 years).

Main Results:

• Acetabular version (AcetV), AASA, PASA, LCEA, and ACEA showed significant increases with age (P < 0.001).
• The acetabular angle decreased with age (P < 0.001).
• Females exhibited higher AcetV and PASA compared to males (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Pediatric hip joint development is characterized by age- and sex-dependent morphological changes.
• The established normative CT measurements serve as a valuable tool for assessing pediatric hip joint development.
• These data support early identification of hip deformities and inform orthopedic surgical strategies.