Arthritic Hip Joint, Lateral View

Description

Positioned in lateral profile, the left os coxae (ilium, ischium, and pubis) forms the acetabulum as a cup opening laterally, slightly anteriorly, and inferiorly, with the femoral head seated against its articular surface. The acetabular rim and lunate surface are emphasized, and the relationship of the socket to the thicker supra-acetabular ilium is clear. Red and pink shading marks the articular cartilage lining the acetabulum adjacent to the femoral head, where joint space narrowing is most apparent. Joint-space loss at the superior and anterosuperior weight-bearing dome is the signature teaching point for hip osteoarthritis, and this lateral orientation makes that narrowing easier to appreciate than an AP pelvis alone. Osteophyte formation and subchondral sclerosis often accompany the reduced cartilage interval at the acetabular roof and femoral head-neck junction, correlating with groin pain, reduced internal rotation, and a positive impingement-type provocation on exam. For arthroplasty planning, the acetabular rim and socket depth shown here are the same landmarks you reference when discussing cup positioning, overcoverage, and the risk of anterior impingement. Use this illustration in musculoskeletal anatomy and orthopedics teaching to contrast normal versus arthritic hip biomechanics, or in rheumatology and primary-care materials explaining why cartilage loss translates into pain and stiffness in the coxofemoral joint. It also fits surgical education content on total hip arthroplasty and hip resurfacing, where acetabular preparation and restoration of joint space are central. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.