Objective To clarify the distribution characteristics of normal adult hip cartilage through analyzing the cartilage-thickness. Methods 30 healthy adult volunteers, age from 23 to 54 years(mean 37.7 years), were scanned at 3.0T MR with 3D-FSSPGR sequence. Four points, including coronal-45°、coronal 45°、coronal 90°、 coronal 135°, which were got from the middle coronal images of the femoral head by MPR, were selected to measure the thickness of cartilage. Results The cartilagethickness of the hip were inhomogeneously, being respectively 1.380±0.077mm、 1.645±0.094mm、1.640±0.094mm and 1.350±0.089mm for coronal-45°、45°、 90° and 135°. There was a significantly difference among 4 points(F=65.473, P=0.000): between coronal-45°and 45°、coronal-45°and 90°、coronal135°and 45°, also coronal135°and 90°(P＜0.01). There was no correlation between age or height or weight and the cartilage-thickness, the correlation coefficient being respectively r=- 0.005、-0.321、-0.255(P＞0.05). Conclusion The cartilage-thickness of the normal hips were different between weight-bearing area and non-weight-bearing area. The cartilage of weight-bearing area was thicker. There was no correlation between age or height or weight and the thickness of the normal adult hip cartilage.