From the Guidelines
Yes, a pelvic MRI does show the hip joints, as it captures detailed images of the structures within the pelvic region, including the hip joints where the femur connects to the acetabulum. A pelvic MRI provides excellent visualization of both bone and soft tissue structures around the hips, including cartilage, labrum, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and surrounding blood vessels and nerves 1. This is particularly useful in diagnosing conditions such as fractures, osteonecrosis, and soft tissue injuries, where a dedicated hip MRI protocol might not be necessary 1.
Some key points to consider when using a pelvic MRI to evaluate the hip joints include:
- The ability to detect osseous and soft tissue abnormalities, making it a valuable tool in diagnosing conditions such as hip pain and suspected fractures 1
- The high sensitivity and specificity of MRI in detecting many abnormalities involving the surrounding soft tissues, including tendonitis and bursitis 1
- The potential for MRI to characterize fracture morphology and guide treatment, particularly in cases of intertrochanteric fractures 1
However, it's worth noting that if the primary concern is specifically focused on the hip joints themselves, a dedicated hip MRI protocol might be preferred as it optimizes imaging parameters specifically for the hip area 1. The choice between these studies depends on the clinical question being investigated, and your doctor will determine which is most appropriate for your specific situation.
In terms of the evidence, a study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology in 2019 found that MRI was 100% accurate for fracture detection in patients with indeterminate radiographs using clinical outcomes as the gold standard 1. Another study published in 2017 found that MRI was highly sensitive and specific for detecting many abnormalities involving the surrounding soft tissues, including tendonitis and bursitis 1.
Overall, a pelvic MRI is a valuable tool in evaluating the hip joints, and its use should be guided by the clinical question being investigated and the specific needs of the patient.
From the Research
Pelvic MRI and Hip Joints
- A pelvic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan can show the hip joints, as evidenced by studies that utilize MRI to evaluate hip pain and morphology 2, 3, 4.
- The use of specific MRI protocols, such as coronal STIR, can detect abnormalities in the hip joints with high sensitivity 2.
- MRI-based synthetic CT images can be generated from MRI using a deep learning-based image synthesis method and are equivalent to conventional CT in the quantitative assessment of bony hip morphology in healthy individuals 3.
- MRI can be used to visualize tears of the abductor tendons and signs of chronic abductor deficiency, as well as to evaluate the hip joint in patients with hip pain 2, 4.
Limitations of Pelvic MRI
- While MRI is useful for evaluating soft tissue and detecting abnormalities in the hip joints, it may not provide clear visualization of bony morphology, which can be better assessed with CT scans 3, 5.
- Immature heterotopic ossification may be difficult to differentiate from other soft tissue pelvic lesions on MRI, and integrating MR with CT can help recognize HO foci and differentiate them from infections and other soft tissue lesions 5.