Indications

• Under 50-years old
• Suspected acetabular labral tear
• Suspected hip cartilage damage
• Hip dysplasia with risk of the above

Prerequisites

• Plain film pelvic x-ray
• Referral by consultant orthopaedic surgeon or hip fellow

Arthrogram

• Can be injected using fluoroscopy or ultrasound as per operator preference
• Imaging ideally within 1-hour of injection (maximum upper limit 2-hrs)
• Hip to be exercised prior to scan to increase contrast penetration
• Whichever method is chosen, intra-articular air must be absolutely avoided through good injection technique. This is more readily achieved without the use of extension tubing.

MRI Scan

• Patient positioned supine in centre of MR table
• Body coil placed around injected hip as closely applied to skin as possible
• Patients foot and patella must point towards ceiling to orientate hip correctly

Sequence	TE / TR	Slice / Gap / Matrix
PD SE Axial to femoral neck	40 / 2500	4mm / 0.5mm / ???
PD SE Coronal	40 / 2500	4mm / 0.5mm / ???
PDFS SE Coronal	40 / 2500	4mm / 0.5mm / ???
PDFS SE Sagittal Oblique	40 / 2700	4mm / 0.5mm / ???
T2 GR TRUFISP Sagittal	5.3 / 12	0.7mm / 0 / ???

Reconstructions

Base sequence	Plane
T2 GR TRUFISP Sagittal	Radial centred on femoral head (see diagram)