Magnetic resonance imaging of the hip
Hip MRI in Casablanca
Hip MRI provides detailed images, without X-rays, of the joint between the femur and the pelvis. It shows the bone, particularly the head of the femur, the cartilage, the labrum (a ring of fibrocartilage lining the edge of the hip socket), as well as the nearby tendons and muscles. It is often requested when hip or groin pain persists despite a normal X-ray.
Duration, report and equipment
Duration
Hip MRI usually takes 15 minutes.
Report turnaround
Report within 48 hours. In an emergency, during opening hours, the report is handed over immediately.
Equipment
GE SIGNA Prime 1.5 T
When is this exam needed?
- Persistent groin or hip pain, with a normal or inconclusive X-ray.
- Suspected osteonecrosis of the femoral head (bone damage due to a lack of blood supply), for example after prolonged corticosteroid treatment.
- Suspected stress fracture or subtle fracture of the femoral neck.
- Pain on the side of the hip related to the gluteal tendons.
- Hip pain in a young adult suggesting femoroacetabular impingement or a labral tear.
- Painful bone edema, sometimes called algodystrophy of the hip.
How the exam is done
If your clothing contains metal, you put on a gown and leave your belongings in a locker. You lie on your back, feet first. The radiographer may turn your feet slightly inward and hold them with a soft strap, to give a clear view of the femoral neck. A flat coil is placed over the pelvis, in addition to the one built into the table.
The upper body often stays close to the entrance of the tunnel, which reassures people who are uneasy in enclosed spaces. Headphones reduce the noise. Stay still and breathe normally. Both hips often appear on some of the images, which makes it possible to compare them.
Preparation
- Empty your bladder just before the exam to be more comfortable during the sequences.
- Take your belt, coins and phone out of your pockets, and remove any belly button piercing.
- If lying down with your legs straight hurts, tell us: the team will look for a more comfortable position that is compatible with the exam.
Fasting
No fasting, and your treatments stay unchanged, including anticoagulants: the MRI does not involve any joint puncture.
Contrast injection
Osteonecrosis, stress fracture or bone edema are looked for without contrast agent. Gadolinium, injected into a vein in the arm, is added only if an infection, a tumor or synovitis (inflammation of the joint lining) is suspected.
Contraindications and precautions
- Hip prosthesis: compatible in the vast majority of cases, but a source of artifacts that dedicated sequences reduce.
- Nail, screws or plate placed after a fracture of the femoral neck or femur: to be declared, with the date of the operation.
- Pacemaker, defibrillator, neurostimulator (including a sacral nerve root stimulator for the bladder), ear implant, old clip on a brain artery, fragment in the eye.
- Insulin pump or glucose sensor (such as FreeStyle Libre): to be removed before the exam. Bring what you need to replace it or put it back afterwards.
- Current or possible pregnancy: please tell us. MRI is performed only if it is necessary, preferably after the first trimester, and without gadolinium unless absolutely necessary.
- Breastfeeding: please tell us. It is generally not necessary to stop breastfeeding after a gadolinium injection.
- Before an injection: severe kidney failure, previous reaction to gadolinium. Extensive tattoo on the thighs or lower back.
Documents to bring
- Prescription specifying which hip is concerned.
- X-rays of the pelvis and hip, and previous MRIs if any.
- Surgical report and prosthesis card if either hip has been operated on.
- List of your medications, mentioning any corticosteroid treatment.
- Insurance or mutual insurance fund card.
Price and insurance coverage
The price of hip MRI depends on the number of hips to be studied in detail and on whether gadolinium is added in case of infection or synovitis.
The center accepts coverage from insurance companies and the main mutual insurance funds. You submit the coverage request to your insurer or fund yourself. For AtlantaSanad and Sanlam, the center takes care of it.
No prices are shown on this site: Kenza gives you the exact price on WhatsApp, along with the coverage procedure for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
I have a prosthesis in my other hip. Is that a problem?
Most often not: a hip prosthesis is not a contraindication to MRI, but it distorts the signal around it. Tell us about it and bring the surgical report, so that the radiologist can adapt the sequences.
Why an MRI if my hip X-ray is normal?
In the early stages, osteonecrosis, a stress fracture or bone edema may show nothing on an X-ray. MRI, which is sensitive to the water contained in bone, can reveal these abnormalities earlier and help your doctor decide whether to take weight off the hip (walking with crutches).
My pain is on the side of my hip. Is MRI appropriate?
Pain on the outer side of the hip, which makes it uncomfortable to sleep on that side, often comes from the gluteal tendons or the bursa that surrounds them. MRI can show their inflammation or a tear. Ultrasound is also used to examine this area.
What is the difference with a bony pelvis MRI?
Bony pelvis MRI gives an overall view of the bones and joints of the pelvis, including the hips. Hip MRI focuses on one joint, with finer images; the radiologist may combine the two depending on the question being asked.
Hip MRI in Casablanca: how much does it cost?
The price of hip MRI depends on the number of hips to be studied in detail and on whether gadolinium is added in case of infection or synovitis. The center accepts coverage from insurance companies and the main mutual insurance funds. No prices are shown on this site: Kenza gives you the exact price on WhatsApp, along with the coverage procedure for your situation.