Highly Unusual Tendon Abnormality: Spontaneous Rupture of the Distal Iliopsoas Tendon

Iliopsoas tendon injuries are not common and usually occur due to avulsion of the iliopsoas tendon with detachment of the lesser trochanter, secondary to an athletic injury or trauma. In the absence of a trauma, avulsion of the lesser trochanter in an adult is regarded as a sign of metastatic disease until proven otherwise. Complete iliopsoas tendon tears have thus far only been described in elderly women, and without trauma or an underlying systemic disease, a hormonal basis may be a reason for the gender differences. In this article, we present an 87-year-old woman with spontaneous rupture of the left distal iliopsoas tendon unassociated with fracture of the lesser trochanter and in the absence of a recent trauma history. This elderly patient presented with acute groin pain and normal plain radiographs. Magnetic resonance imaging must be kept in mind as a modality of choice for identifying iliopsoas tendon abnormalities.