[Ultrasound examination of the hip. An update]

Abstract

Hip sonography has continued to progress in terms of its quality and standards. Error analyses showed that the most common misdiagnoses are caused by the false anatomical identification of an echo, by insufficient or missing verification of usability, by inadequate knowledge of exceptions as well as by defective technical equipment. The correct examining technique is independent from the skills of the examiner; the use of linear scans equipped with 7.5-MHz transducers in most cases, for bigger infants with 5-MHz transducers, is obligatory. Two sonograms in the standard range with a magnification scale of 1:1.7 are required; positioning devices and probe guiding systems are indispensable instruments for avoiding tilting effects. Colleagues in practice who finished their training more than 5 years ago are strongly advised to attend at least a 1-day refresher course to fulfill their obligation for further education. In the future, type-related therapy including the three main treatment phases reposition, retention, and postmaturation must be considered more often than before. Noncompliance with standards and the resulting misdiagnoses have already led to the first juridical consequences, i.e., claims for damages.