title: Noninvasive management of a dorsal patellar defect.
abstract: We present the case of a 13-year-old girl with bilateral anterior knee pain in which an unilateral dorsal patellar defect (DDP) was diagnosed. The pathology was extensively assessed with noninvasive imaging techniques including plain radiographs, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and scintigraphy. Based on the findings, a biopsy could be avoided. The characteristic findings and value of the above-mentioned imaging techniques as well as the differential diagnosis are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Bern, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Inselspital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.tonisigi@tiscalinet.ch
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Locher
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Franz T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Ballmer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000473:pathology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010329:Patella / Q000473:pathology*