STANDARDS FOR ULTRASONOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENTS OF THE HIP-JOINT IN INDIAN ADULTS

Synovitis in the hip joint, in contrast to that in other limb joints, is extremely difficult to evaluate clinically. In the hip joint synovi tis manifests as an increase in the distance between the iliofemoral l igament and the femoral neck. The present ultrasonographic study was u ndertaken in 110 healthy Indian adults to establish standards for the depth of the normal hip joint space in the normal Indian adult populat ion. The shortest distance was 4 mm, the longest was 9 mm. The mean di stance was 6.4 (S.D. 1.1)mm. The mean difference between the right and left hips was 0.42 (S.D. 0.49) mm. An age-specific reference curve wi th 95% confidence limits was constructed. No correlation was found bet ween hip joint space and the subjects' height, weight, age or sex. It is concluded that a distance between the iliofemoral ligament and the femoral neck of more than 9 mm or a difference in measurement between the hips of 1 mm or more suggests an intracapsular effusion or active synovitis. These figures are at variance with the measurements obtaine d in studies on Western white populations.