RADIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF POSTCOVID ASEPTIC NECROSIS OF THE FEMORAL HEAD

The article discusses modern approaches to improving radiological diagnosis algorithms for hip joint lesions in the post-COVID period. Primary attention is paid to the early verification of avascular necrosis of the femoral head (AVNFH) and post-COVID osteoarthritis. This phenomenon is driven by a combination of systemic endotheliitis, mi­crothrombosis, and a history of high-dose glucocorticoid (GC) pulse therapy. A detailed comparative analysis of the diagnostic value of radiography, CT, MRI, and ultrasonography (US) at different stages of the pathological process according to the Ficat/Arlet and Steinberg classifications was performed. The authors' own statistical data on the structure of post-COVID hip joint lesions are presented. The differential diagnosis section between post-COVID AVNFH and transient osteoporosis of the femoral head is developed in detail. The role of echography as a highly accurate method not only for primary screening but also for navigation during local injection therapy is substantiated.