Summer Studentship profile

Evaluating the clinical use of a screening tool for developmental hip dysplasia in babies

Developmental hip dysplasia (DDH) affects 2 per cent of babies, with much higher rates in females and some Indigenous populations. DDH is a condition where the ball and socket hip joint has a shallow socket, which can lead to dislocations or pain. It is generally curable by wearing a harness if detected while the patient is a baby, but if missed, leads to multiple surgeries and premature osteoarthritis. 

DDH screening by hip ultrasound currently requires scans performed by expert sonographers and interpreted by radiologists, which may require patients to travel to large centers. The universal DDH ultrasound screening performed in parts of Europe is not currently offered in Canada or the US, due to factors such as inconclusive scans requiring costly follow-up. Instead, only babies with risk factors such as breech presentation or family history are screened. Unfortunately, such selective screening has not reduced the rate of late DDH detection, since many infants with DDH lack risk factors and are missed. 

Our pilot work shows that new technology combining inexpensive handheld portable ultrasound with automated artificial intelligence (AI) image analysis may make DDH screening more practical and reliable. 

We propose an implementation study based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research framework, working with Red Deer Hospital to validate that we can successfully implement portable ultrasound/AI hip screening in rural Alberta communities. Eventually, every baby born in Alberta ought to have their hips checked, preventing lifelong hip arthritis.

Aryan Azmi was supervised by Jacob Jaremko and his summer studentship was funded by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. He is enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine program.