Anterversion of the Femoral Neck: Comparision of Methods of Measurement in Bone Model

Rhee, Kwang Zin; Kim, Ok Nyoun; Rha, Sang Yeon

Abstract

The significance of the angle of anteversion of the femur is widely recognised, especially incongenital dislocation of the hip, cerebral palsy, Legg-Calve-Perthes' disease, and in-toeing gait, And many methods of measuring the anteversion have been described since the early work by Drehmann (1909) who determined anteversion by fluoroscopy. But there has been no reliable method of measuring the angle until recently. The authors studied the comparative accuracy and reproducibility by the use of experimental model of femur on computerized tomography, axial technique(Dunn), biplanar method (Ryder-Crane) and fluoroscopic method(Rogers) and reported the results with consideration in clinical utility. 1. The most accurate and reproducible method is computerized tomography, but it has much clinical disadvantages such as uneconomic, limited supply, more time requiring in measuring, and also limited information until the ossification of the femoral head was not occur (below the 18 months of age). 2. The next accurate and reproducible method is fluoroscopic method and it is widely useful except the case of limited motion of hip joint. 3. The Ryder-Crane's biplanar method is very difficult in clincal use because of its poor accuracy and reproducibility, difficult mtasuring technique, limited in the situation of contracture, deformity around the hip. 4. The axial technique of Dunn are also useful in any state of hip joint and simplicity in its technique. 5. The more acceptable clinical slection of measuring the femoral anteversion are the combination of the above two or three methods and comparing it with the opposite hip.