Presentation
Young male presented with recurrent anterior suprapatellar knee pain and swelling.
Patient Data
The MRI study shows edematous thickening of the suprapatellar anterior fat pad, which measures about 11 mm in AP thickness and demonstrates a convex posterior border. No other remarkable findings are seen which can explain the patient's symptoms, in particular, the cruciate and both menisci appear normal as well as the articular cartilage.
Case Discussion
Anterior knee pain is a relatively common problem, particularly noted in young individuals. It can be caused by traumatic and non-traumatic disorders affecting the anterior knee soft tissue structures, including the anterior suprapatellar fat pad. The suprapatellar FP plays significant role during knee joint movement by preventing friction between the quadriceps tendon and anterior aspect of the femur.
Anterior suprapatellar fat impingement syndrome is still a controversial topic. The presence of edematous thickening of the anterior suprapatellar fat (>10 mm), in patient presented with recurrent anterior knee pain, in the absence of other obvious cause on MRI, are highly suggestive of this syndrome.