Bone scintigraphy in acetabular labral tears.
BACKGROUND
Acetabular labral tears are an increasingly recognized cause of hip pain in young adults with hip dysplasia and older patients with degenerative disease of the hips.


METHODS
The authors analyzed retrospectively bone scintigraphy in 27 patients with acetabular labral tears diagnosed by MRI/arthroscopy. Analysis was also made of scintigraphy in 30 patients without labral tears being investigated for other causes of hip pain for comparison.


RESULTS
Patients with labral tears had hyperemia of the superior or superomedial aspect of the acetabulum and increased delayed uptake in either a focal superior pattern or in an "eyebrow" pattern of a superomedial tear. This pattern was not seen in any other sources of hip pathology.


CONCLUSIONS
Uptake in the superior or superomedial aspect of the acetabular rim is characteristic of a labral tear. Absence of this pattern carries a high negative predictive value for the diagnosis.
Bruce
Warwick
W
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Van Der Wall
Hans
H
Storey
Geoffrey
G
Loneragan
Robert
R
Pitsis
George
G
Kannangara
Siri
S
D000077:Acetabulum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D025981:Hip Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate