MR evaluation of hips following surgical reduction for developmental hip dysplasia: Are there quantitative and qualitative predictors of avascular necrosis?

The purpose of our study is to investigate whether there are qualitative and quantitative imaging markers on the post reduction MR study that can predict the development of AVN using follow-up pelvic radiographs as reference standards. Post-reduction contrast-enhanced MR studies from thirty-seven infants with unilateral DDH were retrospectively reviewed which showed focally (27%) or globally decreased femoral head enhancement (22%). None of the clinical and imaging markers, including both qualitative and quantitative imaging factors present on the post reduction contrast-enhanced MR, can predict the future development of AVN, which sheds light on our incomplete understanding of the underlying pathophysiology.