Magnetic resonance imaging for articular cartilage: cartilage-bone mismatch.

The authors studied the articular cartilage surface anatomy of the patellofemoral joint in the sagittal and axial planes. On sagittal and axial cryosections and on multiplanar MR arthrotomograms, biplanar contour differences of the retropatellar articular cartilage surfaces and curvatures with respect to the corresponding subchondral osseous contours of the patellofemoral joint were determined. On multiplanar arthrotomograms, the surface geometry of the articular cartilage of the patella and of the femoral trochlea were compared.