PRC therapist Jason Masek came across a great article last week, "The Effect of Pelvic Tilt on Radiographic Markers of Acetabular Coverage", published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine in August 2013. This article discusses the importance of considering pelvic alignment when reading radiographs of the pelvis and hip. According to the article, "it is reported that small changes of pelvic inclination are capable of altering the radiographic appearance of acetabular retroversion and could result in misguided surgical decompression."
In conclusion, "the present study illustrates that alternations in pelvic tilt are capable of significantly influencing numerous measures of acetabular coverage and may affect surgical decision making. Clinically. these data underscore the imporatnce of recognizing that a variation in pelvic alignment will influence the interpretation of anteroposterior pelvic radiographs in the setting of young adult hip disorders. However, these data, combined with the known variability in pelvic tilt among patients, challenge traditional imaging standardization practices and bring into question the optimal position for pelvic imaging in the young adult hip."
The article is unfortunately not available free online, but can be accessed for a fee here.
