HEALTHY HIP NORMAL HIP XRAY SKIN

This screening will help doctors to determine if further treatment is needed. The technologist will examine both hips of the child in different positions until the images are fully formed.

HEALTHY HIP NORMAL HIP XRAY SKIN

A warm, water-based gel is applied to their skin so the ultrasound can provide better images by taking away air pockets between the transducer and the skin.īabies must stay as still as they can during the examination, so it is recommended that parents bring toys, or soothe their babies with their voice to make time pass quicker. Hip ultrasounds take less than 20 minutes and the child will not feel any pain during the examination. Ultrasounds use inaudible sound waves which bounce off of the bones and muscles to create an image for radiologists to interpret. Hip ultrasounds are a safe, non-invasive procedure that does not use any radiation. After about 6 months of age x-rays are done because the bones are often too well developed to use ultrasound successfully. Hip ultrasounds are recommended for infants from birth to six months old because their bones have not fully developed. If diagnosed early and treated successfully, children are frequently able to develop a healthy hip joint. There are other less common factors that may increase the chance of an infant having DDH, such as congenital foot and neck anomalies, so a doctor may recommend screening in those cases as well.Īt UVA Pediatric Radiology, we offer hip ultrasound screenings to detect the different stages of hip dysplasia before symptoms begin to show. Hip dysplasia is more common in first-born children because they are often more cramped in the uterus of first-time mothers. Babies in the normal womb position have less pressure on their hips which is why they are far less likely to have DDH. The earlier DDH is diagnosed the more likely treatment will be successful and the more likely less invasive treatments can be used.ĭDH is more common in babies born in the breech position. Even if symptoms do not show during the initial physical examination after birth, it is still important to have your child screened for DDH if your child is in one of these groups. 6 in 10 DDH cases occur in first-born babies and 80% of overall cases occur in females. You should let your physician know if you or a family member were born with hip dysplasia or have very flexible ligaments.

Family history can predispose infants to developing hip dysplasia.

Healthy hip normal hip xray