Patella alta
Last revised by Joachim Feger on 6 Jul 2023
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Weerakkody Y, Feger J, Knipe H, et al. Patella alta. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 09 Dec 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-13055
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rID:
13055
Article created:
23 Feb 2011, Yuranga Weerakkody ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Yuranga Weerakkody had no recorded disclosures.
View Yuranga Weerakkody's current disclosuresLast revised:
6 Jul 2023, Joachim Feger ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Joachim Feger had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Joachim Feger's current disclosuresRevisions:
24 times, by 17 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures
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Synonyms:
- High-riding patella
- High riding patella
Patella alta, or a high-riding patella, describes a situation where the position of the patella is considered high. It may be idiopathic or may result secondary to a patellar tendon rupture.
Epidemiology
Associations
Several conditions are known to be associated with patella alta, including:
idiopathic retropatellar pain 5
recurrent dislocation of the patella 2
knee joint effusion 2
Patella alta may also occur as a result of spastic cerebral palsy 6.
Radiographic features
On sagittal images, it is usually considered when the Insall-Salvati ratio is greater than 1.3-1.5 1-3.
On radiography, it is important that standard positioning is used, with the knee flexed at 30 degrees. An off-angle x-ray beam or non-standard positioning may result in a spuriously abnormal ratio.
Quiz questions
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References
- 1. Shabshin N, Schweitzer M, Morrison W, Parker L. MRI Criteria for Patella Alta and Baja. Skeletal Radiol. 2004;33(8):445-50. doi:10.1007/s00256-004-0794-6 - Pubmed
- 2. Ali S, Helmer R, Terk M. Patella Alta: Lack of Correlation Between Patellotrochlear Cartilage Congruence and Commonly Used Patellar Height Ratios. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2009;193(5):1361-6. doi:10.2214/AJR.09.2729 - Pubmed
- 3. Insall J & Salvati E. Patella Position in the Normal Knee Joint. Radiology. 1971;101(1):101-4. doi:10.1148/101.1.101 - Pubmed
- 4. Miller T, Staron R, Feldman F. Patellar Height on Sagittal MR Imaging of the Knee. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1996;167(2):339-41. doi:10.2214/ajr.167.2.8686598 - Pubmed
- 5. Kannus P. Long Patellar Tendon: Radiographic Sign of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome--A Prospective Study. Radiology. 1992;185(3):859-63. doi:10.1148/radiology.185.3.1438776 - Pubmed
- 6. Lotman D. Knee Flexion Deformity and Patella Alta in Spastic Cerebral Palsy. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1976;18(3):315-9. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8749.1976.tb03653.x - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Lateral patellar dislocation
- Patellofemoral instability
- Patella
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Patellar tendon
- Caton-Deschamps index (knee)
- Total knee arthroplasty
- de Carvalho index (knee)
- Blackburne-Peel ratio
- Chondromalacia patellae
- Patellar sleeve fracture
- Insall-Salvati ratio
- Knee joint
- Marfan syndrome
- Modified Insall-Salvati ratio
- Medial patellofemoral ligament injury
- Patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome
- Patellar tendon rupture
- MRI of the knee (an approach)
Cases:
- Patellar tendon rupture
- Patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome
- Patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome
- Patella alta
- ACL avulsion fracture
- Patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome
- MRI patellofemoral instability measurements (reporting aid)
- Medial patellofemoral ligament avulsion injury
- Patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome
- Patella alta
- Tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture
- Patellar tendiopathy due to gross patella alta
- Patellar tendon avulsion fracture
- Patella alta
- Patellar tendon rupture
- Patellar tendon rupture - complete
- Blackburne-Peel ratio (diagram)
- Patella alta - high riding patella
- Patella alta (high riding patella)
- Patella alta with Hoffa's fat pad impingement
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Knee pathology
The knee is a complex synovial joint that can be affected by a range of pathologies:
- bone and cartilage
-
knee fractures
- distal femoral condyle fracture
- tibial plateau fracture (classification)
- patella fracture
-
avulsion fractures of the knee
- arcuate complex avulsion fracture (arcuate sign)
- anterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture
- biceps femoris avulsion fracture
- iliotibial band avulsion fracture
- quadriceps tendon avulsion fracture
- patellar sleeve fracture
- posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture
- reverse Segond fracture
- Segond fracture
- semimembranosus tendon avulsion fracture
- Stieda fracture chronic avulsion injuries
- dislocation
- chondromalacia patellae
- osteoarthritis of the knee
- osteochondral
- patterns of bone bruise in knee injury
-
knee fractures
- ligaments
- anterior cruciate ligament tear
- anterior cruciate ligament ganglion cyst
- anterior cruciate ligament mucoid degeneration
- posterior cruciate ligament tear
- medial collateral ligament tear
- lateral collateral ligament tear
- medial patellofemoral ligament tear
- posterolateral corner injury
- posteromedial corner injury
- tendons
- meniscal lesions
- bursosynovial lesions
- fat pad
- popliteal fossa
- fascia
- alignment
- knee
- patellofemoral
- gamut
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