Hip Imaging

Some of the most significant advances in musculoskeletal imaging over the last 15 years have involved the hip joint. This has been mediated by new concepts, such as the recognition of femoroacetabular impingement as a cause of early-onset osteoarthritis and by the introduction of joint-preserving hip surgery. Further, a variety of technical innovations have found their way into routine clinical imaging of the hip. These advances have implications not only for imaging of the hip in the athlete, but also for postoperative imaging, such as MRI of hip implants that is based on a much improved and stable metal artifact reduction.

Hip imaging has been a special interest of ours in both clinical work and research, and it is our pleasure to present an issue on hip imaging with high-quality contributions from brilliant musculoskeletal radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons. These allow both an overview of current clinical thinking and state-of-the-art imaging, but also provide in-depth information and differential diagnoses that are of major importance for daily musculoskeletal imaging.

This issue contains articles with a focus on the hip joint itself, such as a correlation of imaging and surgery for the labrum and cartilage, an overview of anatomical variants, an update on femoroacetabular impingement, and a presentation of inflammatory conditions of the hip. Advanced imaging of the postoperative hip is discussed for both joint-preserving surgery and total hip arthroplasty. Several articles focus on the periarticular soft tissues, such as the abductors and external rotators, bursae, nerves, as well as extra-articular impingement.

The hip is not imaged quite as commonly as the knee or shoulder, and occasionally it can be challenging to reach an accurate diagnosis. We hope that this issue helps in deepening your knowledge of anatomy as well as pathologic conditions of the hip, and that it may become a valuable resource for your clinical work.