Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Synovial plicae of the hip: evaluation using MR arthrography in patients with hip pain

  • Scientific Article
  • Published:
Skeletal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

The appearance and distribution of the intra-articular plicae of the hip have been addressed in few reports in the anatomic and radiological literature. This study aims to determine the prevalence of visible synovial hip plicae using MR arthrography and to measure the association of visible synovial hip plicae with MR arthrographic diagnosis of labral tears, femoroacetabular impingement, and osteoarthritis.

Materials and methods

Following institutional review board approval, 63 direct MR arthrographic examinations of the hip in 61 patients with a clinical history of hip pain were retrospectively reviewed by two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists in consensus. The following variables were measured using a binary system (0 = absent; 1 = present): labral plica, neck plica, ligamental plica, labral tear, femoroacetabular impingement, and osteoarthritis. The surgical reports and arthroscopic images of 10 patients were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed using the Fisher’s exact test.

Results

In all 63 cases at least one plica was visualized on MR-arthrographic images. Labral, neck, and ligamental plicae were found with a prevalence of 76, 97, and 78%, respectively. There was no statistically significant association between the presence of labral tears, femoroacetabular impingement, and osteoarthritis among patients with visible labral, neck, and ligamental plicae. The prevalence of labral tears, femoroacetabular impingement, and osteoarthritis in our patient population was 79, 28, and 28%, respectively. The presence of intra-articular plicae was the only MR-arthrographic finding in 5 of our 63 symptomatic cases.

Conclusion

Visible labral, neck, and/or ligamental plicae are highly prevalent on MR-arthrographic images of the hip performed in the setting of hip pain. There was no statistically significant association between the presence of labral tears, femoroacetabular impingement, and osteoarthritis and visible labral, neck, and ligamental plicae.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fu Z, Peng M, Peng Q. Anatomical study of the synovial plicae of the hip joint. Clin Anat. 1997;10:235–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bartonicek J. Weitbrecht retinacula of the hip joint. Acta Chir Orthop Traumatol Czech. 1990;57:385–91.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Noriyasu S, Suzuki T, Sato E, Sato T. On the morphology and frequency of Weitbrecht’s retinacula in the hip joint. Okajimas Folia Anat Jpn. 1993;70:87–90.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Atlihan D, Jones DC, Guanche CA. Arthroscopic treatment of a symptomatic hip plica. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2003;411:174–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Frich LH, Lauritzen J, Juhl M. Arthroscopy in diagnosis and treatment of hip disorders. Orthopedics. 1989;12:389–92.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Helenon C, Bergevin H, Aubert JD, Lebreton C, Helenon O. Plication of the synovium above the femur neck. J Radiol. 1986;67:737–40.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Blankenbaker DG, Davis KW, De Smet AA, Keene JS. MRI appearance of the pectinofoveal fold. AJR. 2009;192:93–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Fawcett E. Retinacula of Weitbrecht. What is their function? J Anat Physiol. 1895;30(Pt 1):53–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Walmsley T. A note on the Retinacula of Weitbrecht. J Anat. 1916;51(Pt 1):61–4.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Testut L. Articulación coxo-femoral. In: Tratado de anatomía humana, 8th ed. Barcelona: Salvat, 1932;691–707

  11. Kassarjian A, Yoon LS, Belzile E, Connolly SA, Millis MB, Palmer WE. Triad of MR arthrographic findings in patients with cam-type femoroacetabular impingement. Radiology. 2005;236:588–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Bencardino JT, Mellado JM, Schwartz RB, Beltran S. Synovial plicae of the hip joint: evaluation using MR arthrography. LL-MK3301-L. Presented at the 93rd RSNA Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28, 2007, Chicago

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to recognize the support of Dr. Salvador Beltran in providing the illustrations for this article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, 301 East 17th Street, Sixth Floor, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    Jenny T. Bencardino & Renata La Rocca Vieira

  2. Corades, S.L., 28220, Majadahonda-Madrid, Spain

    Ara Kassarjian

  3. Longwood MRI Specialists, 637 Washington Street, Brookline, MA, 02446, USA

    Richard Schwartz

  4. Department of Radiology, Hospital Reina Sofía, Tudela, Spain

    Jose M. Mellado

  5. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Boston, 333 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Mininder Kocher

Authors
  1. Jenny T. Bencardino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ara Kassarjian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Renata La Rocca Vieira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Richard Schwartz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jose M. Mellado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mininder Kocher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jenny T. Bencardino.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bencardino, J.T., Kassarjian, A., Vieira, R.L.R. et al. Synovial plicae of the hip: evaluation using MR arthrography in patients with hip pain. Skeletal Radiol 40, 415–421 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-010-1024-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-010-1024-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation