Dorsal defect of the patella
Updates to Article Attributes
Dorsal defect of the patella is benign subchondral lesion of unknown aetiology and a normal developmental anomaly of the patella, which can be mistaken for a pathological process such as a focus of infection or osteochondritis dissecans.
Epidemiology
Dorsal defect of patella occurs in males and females with equal frequency, and is most frequently found in adolescents. It is bilateral in up to one-third of individuals.
Clinical presentation
This condition often is asymptomatic and an incidental finding on knee imaging, but it occasionally may be cause of knee pain.
Radiographic features
Plain radiography &and CT
A rounded focus of radiolucency surrounded by a sclerotic margin in the upper, outer quadrant of patella.
MRI
On MR, this defect is similar to many other bony lesions:
-
T1WIT1: low signalon -
T2WIT2: high signal
Treatment and prognosis
Dorsal defect of patella is one of the skeletal "do not touch" lesions, therefore because of its characteristic location, it should not undergo biopsy.
Related pathology
-<p><strong>Dorsal defect of the patella</strong> is benign subchondral lesion of unknown aetiology and a normal developmental anomaly of the <a href="/articles/patella">patella</a>, which can be mistaken for a pathological process such as a focus of <a href="/articles/osteomyelitis">infection</a> or <a href="/articles/osteochondritis-dissecans">osteochondritis dissecans</a>.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>Dorsal defect of patella occurs in males and females with equal frequency, and is most frequently found in adolescents. It is bilateral in up to one-third of individuals.</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>This condition often is asymptomatic and an incidental finding on knee imaging, but it occasionally may be cause of knee pain.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Plain radiography & CT</h5><p>A rounded focus of radiolucency surrounded by a sclerotic margin in the upper, outer quadrant of patella.</p><h5>MRI</h5><p>On MR, this defect is similar to many other bony lesions:</p><ul>- +<p><strong>Dorsal defect of the patella</strong> is benign subchondral lesion of unknown aetiology and a normal developmental anomaly of the <a href="/articles/patella">patella</a>, which can be mistaken for a pathological process such as a focus of <a href="/articles/osteomyelitis">infection</a> or <a href="/articles/osteochondritis-dissecans">osteochondritis dissecans</a>.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>Dorsal defect of patella occurs in males and females with equal frequency, and is most frequently found in adolescents. It is bilateral in up to one-third of individuals.</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>This condition often is asymptomatic and an incidental finding on knee imaging, but it occasionally may be cause of knee pain.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Plain radiography and CT</h5><p>A rounded focus of radiolucency surrounded by a sclerotic margin in the upper, outer quadrant of patella.</p><h5>MRI</h5><p>On MR, this defect is similar to many other bony lesions:</p><ul>
-<strong>T1WI</strong>: low signal on </li>- +<strong>T1</strong>: low signal </li>
-<strong>T2WI</strong>: high signal</li>- +<strong>T2</strong>: high signal</li>
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.