After initial clinical assessment, which imaging modality is routinely used to confirm a suspected hip fracture?

After initial clinical assessment, which imaging modality is routinely used to confirm a suspected hip fracture?

• A. Ultrasound
• B. CT scan
• C. X-ray imaging
• D. MRI

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that plain X-ray imaging is the first-line test to confirm a suspected hip fracture. It’s fast, widely available in emergency settings, and inexpensive, and it can usually show femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures on standard views. Typical practice is to obtain an AP pelvis view plus a cross-table lateral hip view to identify displacement and plan treatment. If X-rays are negative but suspicion remains high (for example, an elderly patient with persistent hip pain after a fall), more sensitive imaging is needed. MRI is best for detecting occult fractures that X-ray misses, while CT can help in complex fracture patterns or when MRI isn’t available. Ultrasound isn’t reliable for confirming bone fractures, so it isn’t used for this purpose. So, the routinely used modality to confirm a suspected hip fracture is X-ray imaging.

The main idea is that plain X-ray imaging is the first-line test to confirm a suspected hip fracture. It’s fast, widely available in emergency settings, and inexpensive, and it can usually show femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures on standard views. Typical practice is to obtain an AP pelvis view plus a cross-table lateral hip view to identify displacement and plan treatment.

If X-rays are negative but suspicion remains high (for example, an elderly patient with persistent hip pain after a fall), more sensitive imaging is needed. MRI is best for detecting occult fractures that X-ray misses, while CT can help in complex fracture patterns or when MRI isn’t available. Ultrasound isn’t reliable for confirming bone fractures, so it isn’t used for this purpose.

So, the routinely used modality to confirm a suspected hip fracture is X-ray imaging.