When evaluating dysplastic hip films, radiographic changes may include: A 7-month-old male Labrador suffering from severe hip dysplasia. • Hip subluxation, i.e. less than 66 percent coverage of the femoral head by the acetabulum. • The margins of the acetabulum and femoral head are not parallel. They form a triangle or a wedge. • Increased width of the joint space. • Thickening of the femoral neck. • Flattening or deformity of the femoral head. • Flattening of the acetabulum. A 6-year-old female Rottweiler suffering from severe hip dysplasia. • Irregular acetabulum rim. • Osteophytes on the acetabulum, femoral head and neck. • Sclerosis of the subchondral bone. A description of a normal hip would include: • Two-thirds of the femoral head are covered by the acetabulum. • The margins of the acetabulum and femoral head are parallel. • A small, flattened area of the femoral head represents the fovea capitis, which is where the round ligament attaches. This is a normal finding. <HOME>
