The hip: MR imaging of uniquely pediatric disorders.

Many disease processes can affect the hip joints as a child grows, including developmental dysplasia of the hips; Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease; slipped capital femoral epiphysis; and traumatic, infectious, and noninfectious inflammatory causes. MR imaging is uniquely able to provide information about the structure of the hip joint, and information about active disease states for diagnosing, planning, and assessing therapy.