Bilateral idiopathic chondrolysis of the hip - A case report

A case of bilateral idiopathic chondrolysis of the hip is presented. Chondr olysis is a process characterized by progressive necrosis of the hyaline ca rtilage of the acetabulum and femoral head, resulting in secondary joint sp ace narrowing and stiffness. A 14-year-old boy was followed during a P-year period, and the diagnostic values of the different imaging methods (radiog raphy, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], and bone scintigraphy) were evalua ted. Scintigraphic evidence of marked periarticular uptake and premature fu sion of the epiphysis of the greater trochanter was a reliable indicator of chondrolysis. Furthermore, the bone scan could precede other imaging metho ds (radiography and MRI) in the diagnosis of the progression of the patholo gic process, status of the remodeling activity, and early involvement of an opposite joint. Given the high sensitivity of bone scans and the high spec ificity of radiographic and MRI examinations in the diagnosis of acute chon drolysis of the hip, all three methods are valuable and should be used as c omplementary diagnostic tools.