Pelvis X-Ray: What It Shows and Why Your Doctor May Order One

At Independent Physicians Medical Center (IPMC) in Northeast Philadelphia, we offer pelvic X-ray imaging with fast results in our comfortable outpatient setting.

Why Would Your Doctor Order a Pelvis X-Ray?

Your physician may recommend a pelvis X-ray to evaluate:

• Hip pain — one of the most common reasons, particularly to evaluate for arthritis, avascular necrosis, or stress fractures
• Suspected fractures from a fall, accident, or osteoporosis — hip fractures are especially common in elderly patients and require prompt diagnosis
• Osteoarthritis of the hip — X-rays show the classic signs: joint space narrowing, osteophytes (bone spurs), subchondral sclerosis, and cyst formation
• Sacroiliac joint pain — evaluating for sacroiliitis, which can be associated with ankylosing spondylitis and other inflammatory conditions
• Joint alignment and dislocation — particularly after trauma or in patients with hip replacement prostheses
• Pre-operative planning for hip replacement surgery — X-rays provide measurements needed for prosthesis sizing and surgical approach
• Post-surgical follow-up — checking the position and alignment of hip replacement components or fracture hardware
• Bone tumors, Paget’s disease, or metabolic bone conditions
• Pediatric hip evaluation — screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) or Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease
  

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What to Expect

You’ll lie on an X-ray table or stand. A technologist positions you and takes images from one or more angles (typically an AP view of the pelvis and additional views of the hips if needed). You may be asked to internally rotate your feet to better visualize the hip joints. The exam takes 10 to 15 minutes and is painless.

If your X-ray shows findings that need more detail — such as a subtle fracture, soft tissue injury, or labral tear — your doctor may follow up with an MRI or CT scan. A board-certified radiologist will review the images and send a report to your doctor.