title: [Echography in the study of the neonatal hip: the diagnostic-therapeutic implications of type-IIa (borderline) findings].
abstract: Sonography (US) is a useful method in the early diagnosis of congenital hip dislocation; X-ray examination exhibits limitations due to high false-positive and false-negative rates. The advantages of US include: non-invasiveness, direct visualization of muscle and cartilage, dynamic demonstration of anatomical structures, and possible diagnosis in neonatal age. Therefore, US can be used as a screening or targeted diagnostic technique in selected newborns with clinical suspicion and/or risk factors. In this paper the authors report their experience in 1271 patients (721 females, 550 males), aged 1 day to 7 months, who were examined with US for the diagnosis of congenital hip dislocation. The newborns were divided into two groups at first examination: a) the screening group included 524 consecutive newborns (F = 266, M = 258) from S. Chiara Regional Hospital in Trento, and b) a selected group of 747 newborns (F = 455, M = 292) with clinical suspicion and/or risk factors, who had been selected in the Trento area. According to Graf's classification, the results of US in 2542 neonatal hips, were: 2346 (92.3%) normal hips, 171 (6.1%) type IIa hips, and 24 (1.6%) pathological hips. In the selected group (1494 hips) we observed: 1351 (90.4%) normal, 119 (8%) type IIa, and 24 (1.6%) pathological hips (IIb, IIc, D, III). In the screening group (1048 hips) we detected: 995 (95%) normal hips (Ia/Ib), 52 (4.9%) type IIa, and 1 (0.1%) pathological hips (D). Our experience suggests that US is a useful method in selected newborns with clinical suspicion of congenital hip dislocation and/or risk factors. US limitations consists in the dispersion of type IIa hips. Moreover, the need emerged for complete cooperation between pediatrician, radiologist, and orthopedist to optimize the cost/benefit ratio.
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Radiodiagnostica, USL C5 Centro S. Chiara, Trento.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scialpi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bezza
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zottele
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niccolini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dalla Palma
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006618:Hip Dislocation, Congenital / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
vernacular_title: L'ecografia nello studio dell'anca neonatale: implicazioni diagnostico-terapeutiche dei reperti di tipo IIa (borderline).