Hip pain happens as we age, especially if we maintain an active lifestyle. However, certain early warning signs should encourage you to seek a hip scan. If you frequently experience hip pain or groin pain that affects your mobility, it’s a good idea to seek medical attention. It could be a sign of degenerative conditions affecting the hip.

You might also need a hip scan if you are experiencing stiffness in the hip. A hip scan can reveal the specific cause of the stiffness and help a doctor determine the best course of treatment.

You might also need a hip scan if you experience swelling or tenderness around the hip area. This can be a sign of either new or chronic damage to the hip and its surrounding structures.

A hip scan produces a detailed image of your hip and pelvic area. Several neighboring structures are visible on the image, including:

• Upper femur
• Pelvis
• Coccyx
• Cartilage
• Muscles
• Ligaments
• Reproductive organs
• Additional soft tissues

Getting clear images of the hips and pelvis can help doctors pinpoint the source of your pain. That's the first step to successful treatment, and it's an important one.

Hip pain can be caused by so many things, but there are a few that explain hip pain more commonly than others:

• Arthritis. One of the main causes of hip pain is arthritis. It creates inflammation of the hip joint and causes the deterioration of the cartilage that supports your hip bones. Hip osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of hip pain among much older adults worldwide.
• Muscle or ligament strain. Overuse of the muscles or tendons in the hip can cause inflammation and strain. This can cause pain or tenderness around the hip area.
• Hip fractures Hip fractures are more common as we age since our bones weaken with time. This makes them more prone to breaking if we experience a fall or accident.
• Tendonitis. Tendons attach our muscles to our bones. When these tendons are under constant stress, it can lead to inflammation, known as tendinitis.

Some of the most common hip pain-related diagnoses include:

• Trauma
• Osteoporosis
• Osteomyelitis
• Avascular necrosis
• Synovitis
• Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease (LCPD)

Not all hip pain will require a scan; sometimes your doctor can diagnose you based on just a physical evaluation. However, if your pain is worsening or isn't improving, a scan may be the best way to get detailed insight into the source of your pain and what treatments you're likely to respond well to.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan uses a magnetic field, radio waves, and a computer to generate pictures of the inner structures of the hip. MRIs show the hip's tendons, cartilage, ligaments, organs, and bones. Although they produce images similar to a CT scan, they tend to be more detailed, particularly when contrast dye is used.

The cost of MRI scans can vary dramatically based on a number of individual factors.

The average cost of a hip MRI in the U.S. is around $1,300. It typically ranges between $350 to $3,000, depending on your insurance coverage.

The average cost of a hip CT scan in the U.S. is $3,275. Prices tend to range from $300 to $6,750.

A hip MRI scan takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes in most cases. A hip CT scan procedure takes roughly 15 to 30 minutes, while a hip ultrasound examination is usually done in under 20 minutes.

If you need a hip scan, find a comprehensive list of diagnostic imaging centers near you using scan.com’s scan search tool.

1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/mri/about/pac-20384768
2. https://www.hss.edu/conditions_imaging-for-hip-pain.asp
3. https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13075-021-02705-6
4. https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/us-hip
5. https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/bones-joints-and-muscles/hip-fracture/diagnosis/ct-scan.html
6. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/mri/about/pac-20384768