Acute lateral patellar dislocation at MR imaging: injury patterns of medial patellar soft-tissue restraints and osteochondral injuries of the inferomedial patella

Abstract

Purpose: To assess magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings after acute lateral patellar dislocation (LPD) with emphasis on the medial patella restraints and to describe a medial patellar impaction deformity.

Materials and methods: Knee MR images obtained within 8 weeks after LPD were evaluated for medial retinacular and medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) disruption, vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) edema and/or elevation, and other derangements. One hundred patients with no evidence of prior LPD were evaluated as controls. The Student t test was used for statistical comparisons.

Results: Eighty-two examinations were performed in 81 patients with LPD (mean age, 20 years; age range, 9-57 years). Seventy-six percent (62 of 82 examinations) showed medial retinacular disruption at its patellar insertion; 30% (25 of 82), at its midsubstance. The MPFL femoral origin was identified in 87% (71 of 82); of these, 49% (35 of 71) showed injury. Forty-eight percent (39 of 82) showed more than one site of injury to the medial stabilizers; 45% (37 of 82) showed edema or hemorrhage at the inferior VMO. Mean VMO elevation in the coronal plane of the adductor tendon was 2.2 cm, with a range of 0.6-4.5 cm (in control subjects, 0.9 cm; range, 0.1-2.5 cm; P <.001). At the inferomedial patella, 70% (57 of 82) of LPD examinations showed osteochondral injury and 44% (36 of 82) showed concave impaction deformity (0 of 100 control subjects). Other examination findings in LPDs included contusions of the lateral femoral condyle (66 [80%] of 82 examinations) or medial patella (50 [61%] of 82), intraarticular bodies (12 [15%] of 82), effusion (45 [55%] of 82), medial collateral injury (nine [11%] of 82), and meniscal tear (nine [11%] of 82).

Conclusion: Injury to the medial retinaculum, MPFL, and VMO may be identified at MR imaging after acute LPD. Concave impaction deformity of the inferomedial patella is a specific sign of prior LPD.