title: Radiographic assessment in patellar instability and chondromalacia patellae.
abstract: Minor degrees of malalignment of the patella and anatomical abnormalities including a flattened sulcus angle and an increased ratio between patellar tendon length and patellar length (PT:P) have been suggested as predisposing factors in the causation of chondromalacia patellae, as well as patellar instability. In order to confirm or refute this hypothesis a prospective study has been performed comparing the congruence and sulcus angles and the PT:P ratio in a group of 35 patients with chondromalacia confirmed by arthroscopy and a group of 33 patients with instability, with those of a group of 50 knees in normal volunteers. While there was a statistically significant correlation between an increased sulcus and congruence angle and a high-riding patella in patients with instability, no correlation could be identified in patients with idiopathic chondromalacia.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D010329:Patella / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D013710:Tendons / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging