Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The geometry of patella and patellar tendon measured on Knee MRI

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study provides the geometry of patella and patellar tendon measured on sagittal and axial magnetic resonance images of 172 knees (142 males, 30 females) of 163 subjects (135 males, 28 females) whose mean age was 26.7. The gender difference and the relationship with anthropometry were also given. As for patella, the longitudinal lengths of the whole and articulating surface were 44.6, 32.9 mm, and the thickness was 22.3 mm. The mediolateral width was 45.8 mm, and the central ridge was located 19.9 mm or 43% lateral from the medial border. As for patellar tendon, the longitudinal length was 40.2 mm. The widths of proximal and distal part were 30.3, and 24.0 mm. The thicknesses of proximal and distal part were 3.2, and 5.0 mm. The geometry of the patella and patellar tendon was larger in male than in female (P < 0.001). Anthropometry including weight, height, body mass index corresponds well with the thickness of patella but poorly with the length of patellar tendon. These data can provide useful information in the field of knee surgery and sports medicine.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aglietti P, Insall JN, Walker PS et al (1975) A new patella prosthesis. Design and application. Clin Orthop 107:175–187

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Andrikoula S, Tokis A, Vasiliadis HS et al (2006) The extensor mechanism of the knee joint: an anatomical study. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 14:214–220

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Auge WK 2nd, Yifan K (1999) A technique for resolution of graft-tunnel length mismatch in central third bone-patellar tendon-bone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Arthroscopy 15:877–881

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Baldwin JL, House CK (2005) Anatomic dimensions of the patella measured during total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty 20:250–257

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Barber FA (2000) Flipped patellar tendon autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Arthroscopy 16:483–490

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Basso O, Johnson DP, Amis AA (2001) The anatomy of the patellar tendon. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 9:2–5

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Brown JA, Brophy RH, Franco J et al (2007) Avoiding allograft length mismatch during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: patient height as an indicator of appropriate graft length. Am J Sports Med 35:986–989

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Chmell M, McManus J, Scott R (1995) Thickness of the patella in men and women with osteoarthritis. Knee 2:239–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Choi CH, Chung HK, Kim JH et al (2002) The thickness of patella in Korean, measured during total knee replacement arthroplasty. J Korean Orthop Assoc 37:211–214

    Google Scholar 

  10. Denti M, Bigoni M, Randelli P et al (1998) Graft-tunnel mismatch in endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Intraoperative and cadaver measurement of the intra-articular graft length and the length of the patellar tendon. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 6:165–168

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Dye SF (2003) Functional morphologic features of the human knee: an evolutionary perspective. Clin Orthop 410:19–24

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. El Najjar MY, McWilliams KR (1978) Forensic anthropology. 89

  13. Hofmann AA, Tkach TK, Evanich CJ et al (1997) Patellar component medialization in total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty 12:155–160

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Introna F Jr, Di Vella G, Campobasso CP (1998) Sex determination by discriminant analysis of patella measurements. Forensic Sci Int 95:39–45

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Kim MH, Yoo MJ, Seo JB et al (2005) Statistical analysis of the patellar thickness in adult by MRI. J Korean Orthop Assoc 40:646–651

    Google Scholar 

  16. Koh JS, Yeo SJ, Lee BP et al (2002) Influence of patellar thickness on results of total knee arthroplasty: does a residual bony patellar thickness of ≤12 mm lead to poorer clinical outcome and increased complication rates? J Arthroplasty 17:56–61

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Landis JR, Koch GG (1977) The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. Biometrics 33:159–174

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Mariani PP, Calvisi V, Margheritini F (2003) A modified bone-tendon-bone harvesting technique for avoiding tibial tunnel-graft mismatch in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Arthroscopy 19:E3

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Murshed KA, Cicekcibasi AE, Karabacakoglu A et al (2005) Distal femur morphometry: a gender and bilateral comparative study using magnetic resonance imaging. Surg Radiol Anat 27:108–112

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Oishi CS, Kaufman KR, Irby SE et al (1996) Effects of patellar thickness on compression and shear forces in total knee arthroplasty. Clin Orthop 283–290

  21. Olszewski AD, Miller MD, Ritchie JR (1998) Ideal tibial tunnel length for endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Arthroscopy 14:9–14

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Rathbun TA, Rathbun BC (1984) Human remains recovered from a shark’s stomach in South Carolina. J Forensinc Sci 29:269–276

    Google Scholar 

  23. Rauh MA, Bayers-Thering M, Buyea CM et al (2002) Reliability and validity of a new caliper for measuring patellar thickness. J Arthroplasty 17:105–107

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Star MJ, Kaufman KR, Irby SE et al (1996) The effects of patellar thickness on patellofemoral forces after resurfacing. Clin Orthop 279–284

  25. Staubli HU, Durrenmatt U, Porcellini B et al (1999) Anatomy and surface geometry of the patellofemoral joint in the axial plane. J Bone Joint Surg Br 81:452–458

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Staubli HU, Schatzmann L, Brunner P et al (1996) Quadriceps tendon and patellar ligament: cryosectional anatomy and structural properties in young adults. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 4:100–110

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Tecklenburg K, Dejour D, Hoser C et al (2006) Bony and cartilaginous anatomy of the patellofemoral joint. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 14:235–240

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Toumi H, Higashiyama I, Suzuki D et al (2006) Regional variations in human patellar trabecular architecture and the structure of the proximal patellar tendon enthesis. J Anat 208:47–57

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. van Leersum MD, Schweitzer ME, Gannon F et al (1995) Thickness of patellofemoral articular cartilage as measured on MR imaging: sequence comparison of accuracy, reproducibility, and interobserver variation. Skeletal Radiol 24:431–435

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, National Police Hospital, 58, Garakbon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-161, South Korea

    Jae Ho Yoo, Seung Rim Yi & Jin Hong Kim

Authors
  1. Jae Ho Yoo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Seung Rim Yi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jin Hong Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jae Ho Yoo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yoo, J.H., Yi, S.R. & Kim, J.H. The geometry of patella and patellar tendon measured on Knee MRI. Surg Radiol Anat 29, 623–628 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-007-0261-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-007-0261-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation