Pediatric Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee

  • Etiology: Most likely due to repetitive trauma leading to disruption of endochondral ossification at secondary physis
  • Imaging:
    — Seen before physeal closure
    — Damage to subchondral bone and articular surface of lateral aspect of medial femoral condyle
    — Detachment of osteochondral fragment and joint degeneration
  • DDX:
  • Complications:
  • Treatment:
  • Clinical: Between 10-15 years osteochondral defects are most common in knee (lateral aspect of medial femoral condyle) than the elbow (capitellum) than the ankle (talar dome)

Radiology Cases of Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee

Radiograph of osteochondritis dissecans of the knee
AP radiograph of the knee shows fragmentation of the lateral aspect of the medial epicondyle of the knee.
Radiograph of osteochondritis dissecans of the knee
AP radiograph of the knees shows a left-sided osteochondral defect at the articular surface of the lateral aspect of the medial femoral condyle.