Hip Arthrogram

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Sarabeth1980
Sarabeth1980 Posts: 62 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am having a Arthrogram MRI on my hip today to try and figure out my hip pain, rule out a labral tear. I googled the procedure.... I shouldn't have.... Someone tell me it isn't as awful as it sounds, please!

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  • Sarabeth1980
    Sarabeth1980 Posts: 62 Member
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    No one?
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
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    I had it done, but it was in an attempt to repair the labral tear (a simple MRI showed the tear). I had an aspiration and injection. It was uncomfortable, but not painful. He actually left the needle in while changing out between aspiration and injection.

    Why are they doing that to "rule out" a tear? Seems like if they are going in, they better do something.
  • Sarabeth1980
    Sarabeth1980 Posts: 62 Member
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    I had it done, but it was in an attempt to repair the labral tear (a simple MRI showed the tear). I had an aspiration and injection. It was uncomfortable, but not painful. He actually left the needle in while changing out between aspiration and injection.

    Why are they doing that to "rule out" a tear? Seems like if they are going in, they better do something.

    They are just going in with a needle to inject dye, arthrogram not arthroscopy. Injecting dye so they can better see the joint. I had one on my shoulder years ago, but that was a shoulder.... I am driving myself and now I am wondering if that is a good idea.
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
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    I understand, but why didn't a regular MRI show it? Is it too small?

    regardless, it is not painful, just uncomfortable. I did say a curse word or three when the needle hit my joint, but after that, it was tolerable. I was really sore after the anesthetic wore off.

    I couldn't drive right after, but they had injected anesthetic and steroids. Don't know if there is a difference between those and dye (relatively speaking).

    The procedure of aspiration/injection did not work for me so now I will have to have a hip arthroscopy, but that is a surgical procedure. But again, mine was detected through regular MRI, then arthrogram to attempt to repair, now arthroscopy to hope repair/remove it.
  • Sarabeth1980
    Sarabeth1980 Posts: 62 Member
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    I understand, but why didn't a regular MRI show it? Is it too small?

    regardless, it is not painful, just uncomfortable. I did say a curse word or three when the needle hit my joint, but after that, it was tolerable. I was really sore after the anesthetic wore off.

    I couldn't drive right after, but they had injected anesthetic and steroids. Don't know if there is a difference between those and dye (relatively speaking).

    The procedure of aspiration/injection did not work for me so now I will have to have a hip arthroscopy, but that is a surgical procedure. But again, mine was detected through regular MRI, then arthrogram to attempt to repair, now arthroscopy to hope repair/remove it.

    I imagine they only want to subject me to one MRI and this one is more reliable for diagnosis.. I have had three MRI's on my back in the last two years. There will be lidacaine and dye injected into the joint, so probably close to the same thing. Thank God I have vicodin from my last back surgery still!

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