Abstract

Aim: To compare computed tomography arthrography (CTA) and magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) in the evaluation of intra-artcular hip lesions.
Material and Methods: 42 CTA and MRA procedures were performed for 41 patients who have arthrography indications after standard hip MR examinations. All imaging findings were evaluated by a single musculoskeletal radiologist. Data regarding the presence of labral tear, paralabral cyst, cartilage damage, the femoral head-neck morphology and the acetabular retroversion were noted for each examination. Eight patients were operated. The McNemar chi-square test was used to compare radiological examinations.
Results: Labral tears and cartilage damages were the most common findings. Labral tears were visualized at 23 of 42 (%55) hips on MRA and most common site of location was anterosuperior quadrant (21/23, %91.3), on the other hand they were visualized at 17 of 42 (%40) hips on CTA with the most common site as anterosuperior quadrant (15/17, %88.2). Cartilage lesions were visualized 10 of 42 (%24.80) hips on MRA while 11 (%26.19) cartilage lesions were shown on CTA. %9.5 (4/42) patients have acetabular cartilage lesions and %14.3 (6/42) patients have both acetabular and femoral cartilage lesions on MRA. Meanwhile %11.9 (5/42) patients have acetabular cartilage lesions, %2.4 (1/42) patients has femoral cartilage lesions alone, and also %11.9 (5/42) patients have both acetabular and femoral cartilage lesions on CTA. Statistical analysis shows that CTA and MRA are compatible with each other for the evaluation of intraarticular hip lesions (p>0.05).
Conclusion: CTA can be used as an alternative imaging method to MRA for the detection of intra-articular pathologies in appropriate patients especially who have imaging challenges due to surgical hardwares and contraindications of the MRI procedure.

Key words: Hip; CT arthrography; MR arthrography.