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OrthoVellum

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Basic Science
intermediate
X-Type

Osteonecrosis Pathophysiology

Bone Pathology

A 38-year-old man presents with progressive right hip pain for 6 months. He has a history of systemic lupus erythematosus treated with long-term corticosteroids. Examination reveals painful hip range of motion, particularly with internal rotation. MRI shows a characteristic serpiginous low-signal line in the femoral head with a double-line sign on T2-weighted imaging. Regarding osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis):

Mark each as TRUE or FALSE

A

Osteonecrosis results from interruption of blood supply to bone leading to bone cell death; the femo...

B

Pathophysiology involves vascular compromise leading to osteocyte death within 6-12 hours; the body ...

C

Osteonecrosis is caused by infection; the knee is the most common site; trauma is the most common ca...

D

MRI is the gold standard for early detection with nearly 100% sensitivity; the double-line sign on T...

E

Treatment depends on stage and lesion size; early stages (pre-collapse) may benefit from core decomp...

Answer the questions to see explanations

Click T (True) or F (False) for each option