The anterior center edge angle: a study of 102 volunteers.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the anterior center edge (VCE) angle that reflects anterior coverage of the femoral head.


METHODS
False profile views of both hips of 102 volunteers, 23 male and 79 female, were taken between October 2000 and October 2001. Radiographs with evidence of degenerative hip disease and those with poor image quality were excluded from the study. This left 181 radiographs.


RESULTS
An orthopedic surgeon and a radiologist used a standard protractor to examine each of the 181 radiographs twice, at an interval of 24 h. The mean VCE angle was 49.27 +/- 7.77 degrees (range, 24.75-68.75), a value different from those found in previous studies. No significant intraobserver or interobserver differences were found.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings may contribute to the determination of a new parameter for evaluating anterior femoral head covering. In patients with acetabular dysplasia and deficient anterior coverage, this parameter may prove useful for selecting patients for surgery, planning the procedure, and evaluating postoperative results.
Milcan
Abtullah
A
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Medicine, University of Mersin, Mersin, Turkey. amilcan@mersin.edu.tr
Yildiz
Altan
A
Oztuna
Volkan
V
Eskandari
Metin Manouchehr
MM
Sahin
Günşah
G
Kuyurtar
Fehmi
F
D000077:Acetabulum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005270:Femur Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010388:Pelvis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography