Pitfalls to avoid and advancements to consider for diagnosing hip osteonecrosis on magnetic resonance imaging

The optimal treatment for osteonecrosis of the hip is contingent on early and accurate diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become the recommended diagnostic tool for this purpose. In order to optimize the diagnostic accuracy of MRI, consideration for other hip diseases that may cause bone marrow edema must be given. Several studies have demonstrated improvements in scanning protocols, methods for determining lesion size, and approaches for evaluating images. The potential benefits of these advancements will not be fully realized until there is greater uniformity and consensus regarding the approach for assessing and staging osteonecrosis of the hip with MRI.