Monitoring Hip Dysplasia in Cerebral Palsy with 3D Ultrasound
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Monitoring Hip Dysplasia in Cerebral Palsy with Three-Dimensional Ultrasound.
IRAS ID
220978
Contact name
Adam Shortland
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Each year almost 2,000 babies born in the UK are diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP). CP is a lifelong condition caused by damage to the brain before or during birth. These brain injuries affect how children control their limbs, and how their muscles, bones and joints develop. One of the main causes of disability in CP is abnormal development of the hip joint which results in pain and reduced mobility. It is not uncommon for the top of the thigh bone to become slightly displaced from the hip socket. In many children, this does not pose a problem, however, in some cases, the hip eventually becomes fully dislocated causing significant pain and loss of movement. The challenge is to identify at an early stage which children’s hips are most at risk, so the condition can be managed more effectively before major damage occurs. Currently hip development is monitored by repeated X-rays.
This research study proposes taking images of the children’s hips using ultrasound as well as their clinical x-rays. We will recruit 40 individuals aged between two and 16 years who are already undergoing regular X-ray monitoring for hip displacement. In addition to their routine X-ray assessment, these children will undergo an ultrasound scan of the bones and muscles in and around the hip joint. We will study how well the 3D ultrasound images correlate with X-rays to establish if ultrasound is a viable alternative to current monitoring practice. This study will not alter the child’s clinical care. The ultrasound images are being taken purely for research purposes.REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
17/WA/0093
Date of REC Opinion
5 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion