CASE REPORT

Insufficiency fracture of the acetabulum without apparent trauma

Authors

Hiroyuki Hashidate¹, Mikio Kamimura², Hiroyuki Nakagawa¹, Kenji Takahara¹ and Shigeharu Uchiyama¹

1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Suwa Red Cross Hospital, Suwa, Japan
2. Center of Osteoporosis and Spinal Disorders: Kamimura Orthopaedic Clinic, Matsumoto, Japan
3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan

Received:

28 August 2006

Accepted:

25 December 2006

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Abstract

A 76-year-old woman presented history of left hip joint pain on walking, which occurred after she bent to move a planter. Plain radiographs showed no fracture. Bone scintigraphy revealed accumulation, and magnetic resonance imaging showed a low signal area on T1-weighted images. We diagnosed an insufficiency fracture and pain decreased naturally on conservative treatment. Insufficiency fracture of the acetabulum should be considered when elderly patients have hip joint pain. Magnetic resonance imaging and bone scintigraphy is most useful for the diagnosis.

Key words

Acetabulum - Hip pain - Insufficiency fracture - Osteoporosis