title: STUDY ON THE PATELLOFEMORAL JOINT USING MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING: MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION OF THE MEDIAL PATELLOFEMORAL LIGAMENT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the measurements and anatomical relationships of the patellofemoral joint using magnetic resonance imaging, and to evaluate the variation in the morphology of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) according to patients' heights and ages and the variation in measurements on other structures that are known to be involved in predisposition to patellar instability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three knees (18 patients) underwent magnetic resonance imaging and their interepicondylar distance, patellar height, trochlear depth, ventral trochlear prominence, trochlear groove angle, lateral facet tilt, lateral patellar tilt and size of the lateral and medial facets and their ratio were measured. These measurements were compared with the length and thickness of the MPFL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average length of the MPFL was 46.4 mm, while the average thicknesses of its patellar insertion, middle third and femoral insertion were, respectively, 1.7 mm, 1.4 mm and 1.2 mm. The thickness of the MPFL correlated positively with the lateral condyle and interepicondylar distance measurements, and negatively with the patients' ages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The morphology of the MPFL varies with the interepicondylar distance and the lateral condyle distance, and with patients' ages.
authors.affiliation: Resident Physician in the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alfredo Dos Santos
authors.initials: Ados S
authors.lastname: Netto
authors.affiliation: Resident Physician in the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Botelho Soares
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Brito
authors.affiliation: Trainee Physician in the Knee Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabrício Roberto
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Severino
authors.affiliation: Resident Physician in the Musculoskeletal Radiology Group, Department of Imaging Diagnostics, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leila Rodrigues Andrade
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Attending Physician in the Musculoskeletal Radiology Group, Department of Imaging Diagnostics, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Astolfi Caetano
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nico
authors.affiliation: Attending Physician in the Knee Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Victor Marques
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Physician and Head of the Knee Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nilson Roberto
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Severino
keywords: Joint Instability; Knee; Patella; Patellar Ligament