Morphometric assessment of the patella in healthy, chondromalacia and meniscopathy individuals: a retrospective study

This study aims to investigate the association between patellar morphometric parameters and the presence of chondromalacia patella and meniscopathy. We retrospectively analyzed the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 303 patients diagnosed with chondromalacia or meniscopathy as well as healthy controls. The participants were grouped into chondromalacia, meniscopathy, and healthy controls. Various patellar morphometric parameters, including patella type, localization, the Q angle, patellar tendon length, and diameter (anterior-posterior, transverse, caudal), were measured. Chondromalacia was more common with increasing age and a greater Q angle (p < 0.05). Meniscopathy was more frequently observed in individuals with type 1 and type 2 patellar morphology, according to the Wiberg classification. The transverse patellar diameter was greater in meniscopathy patients than in chondromalacia patients and healthy controls (p < 0.05). The anterior-posterior and caudal diameters were also greater in meniscopathy patients. Our findings suggest that patellar morphology plays a significant role in the development of knee joint disorders. These results may guide further studies and clinical practice in understanding patellar involvement in knee pathologies.