Breed Specific Certifications – PennHIP
PennHIP Certification
Dr. Carpenter is certified to perform PennHIP X-Rays. The x-rays are taken while the patient is under a general anesthesia. Because the procedure does require precise positioning that may be uncomfortable for the patient, the pet is under general anesthesia vs. sedated.
PennHIP at a Glance
The PennHIP method is a novel way to assess, measure and interpret hip joint laxity. It consists of three separate radiographs: the distraction view, the compression view and the hip-extended view. The distraction view and compression view are used to obtain accurate and precise measurements of joint laxity and congruity. The hip-extended view is used to obtain supplementary information regarding the existence of osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip joint. The hip-extended view is the conventional radiographic view used to evaluate the integrity of the canine hip joint. The PennHIP technique is more accurate than the current standard, and it has been shown to be a better predictor for the onset of OA.
The radiographs pictured here are of the same dog, yet the hip joint laxities in each view look very different. Notice that the hips in the distraction view appear to be much looser than they do in the hip-extended view.
| Distraction View | Compression View | Hip-Extended View |
 |
 |
 |
The obvious contrast in joint laxity between the distraction and hip-extended views demonstrates the fundamental difference between the two radiographs. The looser the joint on the distraction view, the greater is the chance that the hip will develop OA. The hip-extended view tends to mask true hip joint laxity because the joint capsule is wound up into a tightened orientation when the hips are extended. This explains why measurable joint laxity on the distraction view is always greater than the measurable laxity from the hip-extended view. In fact, distraction laxity is up to 11 times greater depending on the breed of dog under study.
The compression view is used to determine the “goodness of fit” of the femoral heads into the acetabula. In a hip with OA, the remodeling that occurs in the acetabulum and/or the femoral head, will often result in an ill-fitting “ball” and “socket”.
Summary of PennHIP method:
• Obtains OA readings from the standard hip-extended view
• Obtains hip joint congruity readings from the compression view
• Obtains quantitative measurements of hip joint laxity from the distraction view
Information provided by www.research.vet.upenn.edu
