Diagnosis and treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis.

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis remains a diagnostic problem despite numerous papers written on the subject. The most important factor in the diagnosis of slipped capital femoral epiphysis is suspicion by the practitioner. The history, physical examination, and radiographic imaging are important in the confirmation of the diagnosis. Imaging is the topic of 1998 with advances in the areas of ultrasound. Ultrasound may be better in experienced hands than plain radiography in the diagnosis of slipped capital femoral epiphysis. Magnetic resonance imaging is used for diagnosis of slipped capital femoral epiphysis and in the assessment of pre-slips. The magnetic resonance image can be oriented to a plane orthoganol to the plane of the physis to assess the width of the physis and to detect edema in the area of the physis.