Standardised ultrasound examination of the hip joint.

Aim: We demonstrate a technique for examining the hip joint sonographically in a standardised way using sectional planes corresponding to the guidelin es provided by the work group "Sonography of the Musculo-Skeletal System" o f the German Society of Ultrasound (DEGUM). MRT-scans were used as a compar ative standard. Method: The ultrasound examination was performed in the fol lowing standardised way: a transversal and longitudinal scan were done in t he Ventral region and additionally a longitudinal scan in the lateral regio n. In cases without pathological findings two standardised planes should be documented. In the case of pathological findings the picture should be doc umented in two standardised planes and compared to the corresponding contra lateral site. An ultrasound examination standardised in this way facilitate s a precise assessment of the ventral joint capsule, the bone structures, t he ventral and lateral aspects of the glenoid cavity and the peri-articular soft tissue structures of the hip joint. Results: An examination technique is presented which offers additional pictorial information, saves costs an d is not harmful to the patient. Conclusion: The ultrasound examination of the hip joint can supply additional information about diseases and traumati c changes in this region. In paediatric hip disorders such as transient syn ovitis, septic arthritis, juvenile arthritis, Leg-Calve-Perthes disease and slipped femoral epiphysis, the ultrasound examination can provide importan t additional information for the initial differential diagnosis and during follow-up.