Skeletal Radiology

, Volume 23, Issue 1, pp 37–41 | Cite as

The value of contrast arthrography in assessing loosening of symptomatic uncemented total hip components

  • Robert L. Barrack
  • Michael Tanzer
  • Susan V. Kattapuram
  • William H. Harris
Articles

Abstract

Twenty-five patients with symptomatic uncemented total hip components were studied with contrast arthrography prior to surgical exploration. All but one had uncemented femoral stems and 16 had an uncemented acetabular component. As judged by the findings at surgery, on the femoral side the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of arthrography were 57%, 60%, and 58% respectively. There was a relatively high incidence of both false positives (17%) and false negatives (25%). On the acetabular side sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 29%, 89%, and 62.5%. False negatives were common (31%), while there was only one false positive. The results in this small series show that arthrography has distinct limitations in identifying the fixation status of uncemented total hip components.

Key words

Arthrography Uncemented loosening Total hip replacement 

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Copyright information

© International Skeletal Society 1994

Authors and Affiliations

  • Robert L. Barrack
    • 1
    • 2
  • Michael Tanzer
    • 1
    • 2
  • Susan V. Kattapuram
    • 3
  • William H. Harris
    • 2
  1. 1.Orthopaedic Biomechanics LaboratoryMassachusetts General HospitalBostonUSA
  2. 2.Hip and Implant Unit, Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUSA
  3. 3.Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUSA

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