Pelvic tilt

Pelvic tilt is one of the parameters contributing to the individual pelvic orientation. It is measured on an AP pelvic radiograph as the distance between the midportion of the sacrococcygeal joint and the upper border of the symphysis pubis.

As a rule of thumb, this distance should amount to (on average) :

  • 32 mm in men
  • 47 mm in women

Practical points

It is important to always assess the pelvic tilt on a pelvic radiograph, as variations in it can alter the measures of acetabular anatomy, like lateral center-edge angle or crossover sign .