Magnetic resonance imaging for acute hip pain in the emergency department.

MRI is an excellent imaging modality for the evaluation of acute hip pain in the ED and provides accurate diagnosis; facilitating appropriate and timely management thereby can result in decreased cost and improved prognosis in these patients. In this article, we review the use of MRI for patients presenting with acute hip pain in the Emergency Department (ED), including MRI protocols, MRI features of common acute hip pathologies, pivotal differential diagnoses, and management options.