Weight-Bearing Hip X-rays for Osteoarthritis Assessment

Rationale for Weight-Bearing Views

The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) specifically recommends consideration of radiographic views for optimizing detection of OA features 1
Weight-bearing radiographs can detect dynamic abnormalities such as joint space narrowing that may not be apparent on non-weight-bearing radiographs 2

While imaging is not required to make the diagnosis in patients with typical presentation of OA, it is valuable for confirming diagnosis in atypical presentations, according to the European League Against Rheumatism 3
For monitoring purposes, routine imaging in OA follow-up is not recommended unless there is unexpected rapid progression of symptoms or change in clinical characteristics, as suggested by the American College of Rheumatology 5
When imaging is needed, conventional radiography should be used before other modalities such as MRI or CT, as recommended by the European League Against Rheumatism 6