β-Angles of hips with femoroacetabular impingement versus asymptomatic normal hips in a Japanese population: A CT-based observational clinical study

Abstract Background The beta angle (β-angle)—although used to assess femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)—has not been well evaluated. This study aimed to measure the β-angle on multiradial computed tomography (CT) slice images of both hips with symptomatic FAI and asymptomatic normal hips to determine its optimal cutoff value for detecting FAI in a Japanese population. Methods CT was performed with each subject supine. The β-angle was measured on seven radial slices (designated R0, R15, R30, R45, R60, R75, R90) that were generated at 15° intervals from the oblique axial slice through the center of the femoral neck. An a priori power analysis was performed. The measurements were made in 20 FAI hips (FAI group) and 23 asymptomatic normal hips (ANH group). Cutoff values were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Results The mean β-angles of the FAI and ANH groups at R0, R15, R30, R45, R60, R75, and R90° were, respectively, 73.6° and 84.2°, 66.0° and 79.3°, 57.2° and 69.2°, 48.1° and 63.1°, 46.7° and 62.5°, 50.0° and 63.7°, and 53.7° and 65.9°. For all slices, the β-angle was significantly smaller in the FAI group than the ANH group. The optimal β-angle cutoff values for diagnosing FAI at R0, R15, R30, R45, R60, R75, and R90 were 73.9°, 70.2°, 61.4°, 55.7°, 53.6°, 59.4°, and 60.9°, respectively. The respective specificities and sensitivities of the cutoff values at R0, R15, R30, R45, R60, R75, and R90 were 78.3% and 65.0%, 82.6% and 70.0%, 73.9% and 60.0%, 73.9% and 75.0%, 95.7% and 75.0%, 69.6% and 95.0%, and 78.3% and 80.0%. Conclusions In all radial slices, the β-angle was significantly smaller in the hips with symptomatic FAI than in the asymptomatic normal hips. The most useful cutoff value for diagnosing FAI was a β-angle of 53.6° at R60.