During a physical exam your doctor will likely press around your joints, checking for tenderness. Your doctor may also move the joints through a variety of positions to see if your range of motion has been reduced.
Many disorders can cause joint pain. Imaging tests can help pinpoint the source of pain. The options include:
March 21, 2015
- X-rays. They can reveal bone changes that occur in the later stages of avascular necrosis. In the condition's early stages, X-rays usually appear normal.
- MRI and CT scan. These tests produce detailed images that can show early changes in bone that may indicate avascular necrosis.
- Bone scan. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into your vein. This tracer travels to the parts of your bones that are injured or healing and shows up as bright spots on the imaging plate.
- Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2015: 5 Books in 1. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2015. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Jan. 23, 2015.
- Jones LC, et al. Osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis of bone). http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Jan. 19, 2015.
- Firestein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2013. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Jan. 23, 2015.
- AskMayoExpert. Who gets avascular necrosis of the hip? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.
- Questions and answers about osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis). National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Osteonecrosis/default.asp. Accessed Jan. 23, 2015.
- Chang-Miller A (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Ariz. Jan. 29, 2015.
- Issa K, et al. Osteonecrosis of the femoral head: The total hip replacement solution. Bone & Joint Journal. 2013;95-B:46.