Radiologic analysis of femoral acetabular impingement: from radiography to MRI.

Femoral acetabular impingement is a set of morphologic abnormalities that are considered to be a major cause of degenerative disease in the hip joint. Early changes are already present in adolescence when it is the pediatric radiologist who must assess current damage with the aim of averting progression to more severe and debilitating osteoarthritis. A multimodality approach is used for diagnosis, that includes conventional radiography and CT to assess the osseous structures. MR arthrography is the primary advanced imaging modality for assessment of morphologic changes as well as injuries of the labrum and articular cartilage. Details of radiologic imaging are offered to guide the radiologist and provide an avenue for the accurate description of the osseous and articular alterations and injury.