Femoral anteversion in children measured by ultrasound.

The femoral anteversion was measured by ultrasound and biplanar radiography in 57 children, most of whom had clinical signs of increased anteversion. A modification of previously reported ultrasound techniques was introduced, as the transducer was tilted instead of being kept horizontally. Four different modes of ultrasound examination were evaluated. The most appropriate technique involved only one ultrasound scan at the hip level. The correlation between the results of ultrasound and radiography was good with less than 10 degrees discrepancy in the majority. Ultrasound is suitable for screening children with rotational disorders of the femur. The main advantage of the method is that exposure to radiation is avoided.