examiner’s experience vital

To clarify the cause of hip pain, it is advisable to consult an experienced hip specialist with sufficient manual expertise in examination of the hip. He should also have knowledge of the use of modern imaging procedures, which are often required to clarify hip problems.

Accurate X rays using special projection procedures if necessary are essential.

Computer tomography (CT) has proved to be extremely useful in hip diagnosis as it permits changes in the bones to be assessed with great accuracy and also enables pathological structures to be viewed in three dimensions.

Magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) should also be used if possible. Unlike X ray or CT images, it shows damage to the soft tissue, e.g. tears and labrum defects.

Valuable additional information is provided by ultrasonic examination, which with sufficient know-how can be carried out simply and avoids the need for X rays.

Important: The right choice of examination method is not the only vital factor in hip diagnosis. The correct interpretation of the various findings, which in many cases calls for consultation with an experienced hip specialist, is also essential.