title: MRI diagnosis of contracture of the gluteus maximus muscle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of our study was to describe MRI features of contracture of the gluteus maximus muscle after providing a retrospective review of the MRI studies of 21 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gluteal contracture manifests characteristic features on MRI, including an intramuscular fibrotic cord extending to the thickened distal tendon with atrophy of the gluteus maximus muscle and posteromedial displacement of the iliotibial tract. In advanced cases, medial retraction of the muscle and its tendon results in a depressed groove at the muscle-tendon junction and external rotation of the proximal femur. Clinical correlation and meticulous physical examination may confirm the MR diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, 386 Ta-Chung 1st Rd., Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan. ckhc6203@yahoo.com.tw
authors.forename: Clement K H
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: LeeRen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Wei-Ning
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Huay-Ben
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Chien-Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002081:Buttocks; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003286:Contracture / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies