Plain radiographs inadequate for evaluation of the cement-bone interface in the hip prosthesis. A cadaver study of femoral stems.

To determine whether plain radiographs accurately represent the true cement-bone interlock, a comparison was made between radiographs and macroscopic morphology on cross sections of 11 human femora into which a cemented endoprosthesis had been inserted. Four femora had been retrieved postmortem from patients with a hip arthroplasty, and seven cadaver femora were cemented under varying conditions. All the femora were radiographed and then cut for macroscopic inspection of the cement-bone interface with respect to gross interposition, depth of cement penetration, integrity of the bone bed, and lamellation of the cement.