Journal Article
Review
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Surgical management of patellofemoral instability. I. Imaging considerations.

The patellofemoral joint is a complex joint that relies on both bone and soft tissues for its stability. Dysfunction of the patellofemoral joint, whether pain or instability, is a common cause of medial consultation. Thorough clinical and imaging assessment is important for managing these patients, who may require a combination of a bony and soft tissue surgical procedure. Trochlear dysplasia, a cause of anterior knee pain and patellar instability, has been classified using conventional radiography. Radiographic signs on a lateral projection, such as the "double contour" sign and the "crossing sign", can alert the radiologist to the grade of trochlear dysplasia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard for accurately assessing the soft tissue around the patellofemoral joint, such as the medial patellofemoral ligament and the medial and lateral patella retinacula, especially in the context of a transient patella dislocation. Risk factors for patellofemoral instability, such as patella alta, an increased tibial tubercle to trochlear groove distance and trochlear dysplasia, can all be assessed on MRI. Advanced imaging techniques such as dynamic MRI and CT are able to demonstrate patellar maltracking. These techniques can also be employed to reliably assess the outcomes of treatment. In this article, we review the normal and abnormal pre-operative imaging findings of the knee extensor mechanism in relation to patellofemoral joint instability. This review provides a useful tool for the reporting radiologist and highlights the imaging findings that are of relevance to the orthopaedic surgeon.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

Related Resources

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app