title: Limited effectiveness of sonography in revealing hip joint effusion: preliminary results in 21 adult patients with native and postoperative hips.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The object of this study was to determine the effectiveness of sonography in the detection of hip joint effusions in both native and postoperative adult hips using arthrocentesis as a gold standard.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one consecutive patients with clinical suspicion of hip joint effusion were examined on sonography by one of five musculoskeletal radiologists with experience in musculoskeletal sonography. All 21 patients underwent diagnostic arthrocentesis (fluoroscopic in 16, sonographic in five) to confirm the presence or absence of joint effusion. A retrospective analysis of the sonograms was made to assess the size of the distention of the anterior joint recess (anteroposterior dimension) and the echogenicity (anechoic or other relative to muscle), and correlation was made to the presence or absence of joint effusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Joint effusion was seen on diagnostic arthrocentesis in 10 (48%) of the 21 patients. Seven of the 21 patients had native hips and 14 had prior hip surgery. Retrospectively, no significant difference was found with regard to the size of the anterior recess distention (p = 0.34) or echogenicity (p = 0.2) when comparing the patients with and without joint effusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anterior recess distention and echogenicity could not reliably be used as an indicator of adult hip joint effusion, either in native or postoperative hips. Diagnostic arthrocentesis was necessary to establish or exclude the presence of hip joint effusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0326, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Weybright
authors.forename: Jon A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.forename: Kristyn H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Murry
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Fessell
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Jamadar
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kabeto
authors.forename: Curtis W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hayes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D005260:Female; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D006833:Hydrarthrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D019152:Paracentesis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography