The painful hip: new concepts

Hip pain is a common condition, and the work-up often includes imaging. This article reviews the normal MR anatomy of the hip and the imaging findings of internal derangements, snapping hip, and femoral acetabular impingement. We will describe the role of MR arthrography in evaluating the patient with suspected labral and articular cartilage abnormalities, as well as the pitfalls in interpretation. We will review the causes of a snapping hip, and the role of sonography in evaluating and guiding treatment of the snapping iliopsoas tendon. We will also review the radiographic and MRI signs of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), a cause of early degenerative joint disease and hip pain.