Femoroacetabular Impingement: What the Surgeon Wants to Know

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for early hip degeneration in young active patients. The diagnosis depends on clinical examination and proper imaging that should be able to identify abnormal and sometimes subtle morphological changes. Labral tears and cartilage lesions rarely occur without underlying bone abnormalities. Surgical approaches to treat FAI are increasing significantly worldwide, even without a clearly defined consensus of what should be accepted as the standard imaging diagnosis for FAI morphology. Hip abnormalities encompass many variations related to the shape, size, and spatial orientation of both sides of the joint and can be difficult to characterize if adequate imaging is not available. This article presents a comprehensive review about the information orthopaedic surgeons need to know from radiologists to plan the most rational approach to a painful hip resulting from a mechanical abnormality.