Does gadolinium improve magnetic resonance arthrography of the hip beyond fluid distension alone?

•MR arthrography (MRA) of the hip was evaluated with and without gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) solution.•T2-weighted sequences alone were not statistically inferior in detecting acetabular cartilage lesions and labral tears.•Prospective comparison of saline to GBCA-containing injectate may help clarify the necessity of continued GBCA use for MRA.