title: Evaluation of patellar shape in the sagittal plane. A clinical analysis.
abstract: A prospective study of 564 patients was performed to assess the correlation between patellar shape as seen on a lateral radiograph and 1) patellar pain and 2) the radiologic determination of patellar height. A classification of patellar shape was developed based on the ratio of the patellar length to the length of the articular surface. Three classification types were established, including the "long-nosed," "Cyrano" type. Patients were placed into one of two groups based on the presence or absence of patellar pain. Lateral radiographs were evaluated for patellar height using two published indices. A significantly larger portion of Type II and Type III patellae was found in patients with patellar pain. Moreover, accepted measures of patellar height have to be used with caution in the presence of unusual patellar shapes.
authors.affiliation: New York Orthopaedic Hospital, Division of Sports Medicine, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York 10032.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Grelsamer
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Proctor
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Bazos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010146:Pain; D010329:Patella / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D013710:Tendons / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology