The patellofemoral joint: do age and gender affect skeletal maturation of the osseous morphology in children?

Abstract

The osseous morphology of the patellofemoral joint is an independent factor that affects the biomechanics of patellofemoral instability. The purpose of this study is to determine age- and gender-related differences in the osseous morphology of the patellofemoral joint in children during skeletal maturation. This study was approved by the institutional review board and was HIPAA-compliant. We included 97 children and young adults (age range 5-22years; 51 girls and 46 boys, mean ages 14.3years and 13.7years, respectively). We studied 1.5-T knee MR exams, measuring the osseous morphology of the patellofemoral joint (lateral trochlear inclination, trochlear facet asymmetry, trochlear depth, patellar height ratio, tibial tubercle-trochlear groove distance, and lateral patellofemoral angle) for each MR exam. We compared measurements to published values for patellofemoral instability. Physeal patency (open or closing/closed) was determined on MR. We assessed the associations between MR osseous measurements and gender, age and physeal patency using Wilcoxon rank sum test and least square means regression models. The osseous patellofemoral joint morphology measurements were all within a normal range. There were no significant correlations between MR osseous measurements and age, gender or physeal patency. During skeletal maturation, age and gender do not affect the osseous morphology or congruency of the patellofemoral joint.