Atilla Hikmet Cilengir1, Yusuf Kenan Cetinoglu2, Cemal Kazimoglu3, Mustafa Fazil Gelal4, Berna Dirim Mete5, Ferhan Elmali6, Ozgur Tosun4. 1. Basaksehir Cam and Sakura City Hospital, Department of Radiology, 34480, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: a.cilengir@saglik.gov.tr. 2. Batman Training and Research Hospital, Department of Radiology, 72070, Batman, Turkey. 3. Izmir Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Department of Orthopaedics, 35150, Izmir, Turkey. 4. Izmir Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Department of Radiology, 35150, Izmir, Turkey. 5. Izmir Democracy University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, 35150, Izmir, Turkey. 6. Izmir Katip Celebi University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics, 35620, Izmir, Turkey.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the association between the knee joint anatomical variations and pathologies, and to describe the quadriceps patellar tendon angle (QPA). METHODS: MRIs of 406 cases with a lateral patellar tilt angle (LPT)>5° and a control group of 40 cases with an LPT<5° were retrospectively evaluated. QPA, LPT, trochlear sulcus angle (TSA), tibial tubercle-trochlear groove distance (TT-TG), Insall-Salvati index (ISI), patellar tendon length (PTL), patellar height (PH), lateral trochlear inclination (LTI), trochlear facet asymmetry ratio (TFA) and trochlear depth (TD) were measured. Presence of fat-pad oedema, patellar and trochlear chondromalacia, patellar and quadriceps tendinosis and effusion were evaluated. RESULTS: The medians of TSA, PTL, ISI and TT-TG were significantly higher; LTI, TFA and TD were significantly lower in the patient group. The prevalence of SL-Hoffa, non-SL-Hoffa, suprapatellar and prefemoral fat-pad oedema, effusion and chondromalacia were significantly higher in the patient group. LPT was found to be positively correlated with TSA and TT-TG, and negatively correlated with LTI and TD. Cases with trochlear dysplasia, patellar chondromalacia and quadriceps tendinosis had significantly higher LPT. There was a positive correlation between QPA and TSA and a negative correlation between QPA and LTI. Cases with trochlear dysplasia, non-SL-Hoffa oedema, prefemoral fat-pad oedema and quadriceps tendinosis had significantly higher QPA. We found 10°<LPT to be a cut-off value to cause SL-Hoffa fat pad oedema. CONCLUSION: The anatomical variations of the knee joint are associated with fat-pad, cartilage and tendon pathologies.
PURPOSE: To investigate the association between the knee joint anatomical variations and pathologies, and to describe the quadriceps patellar tendon angle (QPA). METHODS: MRIs of 406 cases with a lateral patellar tilt angle (LPT)>5° and a control group of 40 cases with an LPT<5° were retrospectively evaluated. QPA, LPT, trochlear sulcus angle (TSA), tibial tubercle-trochlear groove distance (TT-TG), Insall-Salvati index (ISI), patellar tendon length (PTL), patellar height (PH), lateral trochlear inclination (LTI), trochlear facet asymmetry ratio (TFA) and trochlear depth (TD) were measured. Presence of fat-pad oedema, patellar and trochlear chondromalacia, patellar and quadriceps tendinosis and effusion were evaluated. RESULTS: The medians of TSA, PTL, ISI and TT-TG were significantly higher; LTI, TFA and TD were significantly lower in the patient group. The prevalence of SL-Hoffa, non-SL-Hoffa, suprapatellar and prefemoral fat-pad oedema, effusion and chondromalacia were significantly higher in the patient group. LPT was found to be positively correlated with TSA and TT-TG, and negatively correlated with LTI and TD. Cases with trochlear dysplasia, patellar chondromalacia and quadriceps tendinosis had significantly higher LPT. There was a positive correlation between QPA and TSA and a negative correlation between QPA and LTI. Cases with trochlear dysplasia, non-SL-Hoffa oedema, prefemoral fat-pad oedema and quadriceps tendinosis had significantly higher QPA. We found 10°<LPT to be a cut-off value to cause SL-Hoffa fat pad oedema. CONCLUSION: The anatomical variations of the knee joint are associated with fat-pad, cartilage and tendon pathologies.