Bone Marrow Edema and Associated Pain in Early Stage Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: Prospective Study with Serial MR Images

The results of this study suggest that the combination of marrow edema of the proximal femur and focal osteonecrosis of the femoral head are strongly associated with hip pain in early stage osteonecrosis, even prior to collapse. Pain improvement usually parallels the resolution of edema.