Femoroacetabular impingement: caution is warranted in making imaging-based assumptions and diagnoses.

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a relatively new diagnosis ( 1,2 ) that may represent an important cause of hip osteoarthritis in young patients. It has generated intense interest among orthopedists and radiologists specializing in hip disorders and sports-related injuries. FAI continues to be the topic of numerous research investigations, scientifi c papers, and review articles ( 3–12 ). This commentary addresses several orthopedic controversies that raise questions about the role of imaging in the setting of FAI.