Abstract
Although subchondral changes are reported to be associated with transient osteoporosis of the hip (TOH), the etiology of this disorder is unknown.In this paper, we describe a 45-year-old man with TOH who underwent both MRI and CT examinations. Plain radiographs obtained 2 months after the onset of hip pain showed a focal loss of radiodensity in the left femoral head. MRI revealed a bone marrow edema pattern in the left femoral head and neck with an associated subchondral serpiginous low signal intensity line on the T1-weighted images. A CT scan showed a subchondral fracture in the corresponding area. The hip pain and imaging abnormalities resolved spontaneously following conservative treatment.This case study demonstrated that a subchondral fracture of the femoral head was associated with TOH using MRI and CT examinations, and suggests that the presence of a subchondral fracture may be important for the pathophysiology of TOH.
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This research was supported by research funds to promote the hospital functions of Japan Labour Health and Welfare Organization.
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Miyanishi, K., Kaminomachi, S., Hara, T. et al. A subchondral fracture in transient osteoporosis of the hip. Skeletal Radiol 36, 677–680 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-006-0248-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-006-0248-4