Imaging of hip and thigh muscle injury: a pictorial review

Muscle injuries of the hip and thigh are a highly relevant issue in competitive sports imaging. The gold standard in diagnostic imaging of muscle injuries is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Radiologists need to be familiar with typical MRI findings in order to accurately detect and classify muscle injuries. Proper interpretation of the findings is crucial, especially in elite athletes. In soccer players, muscle injuries of the hip and thigh are the most common reason for missing a game. The present pictorial review deals with the diagnostic assessment, especially MRI, of muscle injuries of the hip and thigh. Typical MR findings in muscle injuries include edema, hematoma, and tendinous avulsion as well as partial or complete muscle tear. To estimate the time to return to play, a grading into three groups—muscle strain, partial tear, complete tear—has traditionally been used. Taking into account the most recent literature, there are other prognostic factors such as the longitudinal length of a tear, the tendon’s intramuscular component, or persisting edema.