The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 59, Issue 3 391-396, Copyright © 1977 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
Roentgenographic search for avascular necrosis of the head of the femur in alcoholics and normal adults
K Smith, M Bonfiglio and K Dolan
Roentgenograms of 1,410 hips from 705 alcoholics were compared with those
of 200 hips from 100 controls for changes consistent with non-traumatic
(idiopathic) necrosis of the femoral head according to the findings
diagnostic of necrosis of bone that were outlined by the Decompression
Sickness Panel of the British Medical Research Council. Abnormalities were
found in 45.3 per cent of the alcoholics and 49 per cent of the controls.
None of the findings showed any statistical difference between the controls
and the alcoholics. It was concluded that the roentgenographic findings
used were not valid in detecting the early or subtle changes of necrosis of
the femoral head and that the changes found in both groups are common and
probably non-specific.