Assessment of osteoarthritis in hips with femoroacetabular impingement using delayed gadolinium enhanced MRI of cartilage.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the feasibility of assessing early osteoarthritis (OA) in hips with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) using delayed Gadolinium enhanced MRI of Cartilage (dGEMRIC).


METHODS
Thirty-seven hips in 30 patients who had a dGEMRIC scan and radiographic evidence of FAI were identified. Clinical symptoms were assessed. Radiographic measurements were performed to determine acetabular and femoral morphology. The severity of radiographic OA was determined using Tönnis grade and minimum joint space width (JSW). On MRI, the alpha angle was measured on the sagittal oblique slices. Correlations between dGEMRIC index, patient symptoms, morphologic measurements, radiographic OA, and age were determined.


RESULTS
Significant correlations were observed between dGEMRIC index, pain (P < 0.05), and alpha angle (P < 0.05). The correlation of dGEMRIC with alpha angle suggests that hips with more femoral deformity show signs of early OA.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of osteoplasty for FAI depend on the amount of pre-existing OA in the joint. dGEMRIC may be a useful technique for diagnosis and staging of early osteoarthritis in hips with impingement.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Rebecca H
RH
Jessel
Christoph
C
Zilkens
Carl
C
Tiderius
Marcel
M
Dudda
Tallal Charles
TC
Mamisch
Young-Jo
YJ
Kim
D000077:Acetabulum / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002356:Cartilage / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006615:Hip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium