Bauman Jay M, Alzahabi Obadah A
Center for Anatomical Science and Education, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, USA.
Cureus. 2024 Jun 11;16(6):e62186. doi: 10.7759/cureus.62186. eCollection 2024 Jun.
Reported prevalence rates of the fabella sesamoid bone vary widely, particularly between studies based on either X-ray imaging or anatomical dissection approaches. The purpose of this study was to directly compare these two methodologies in their detection of fabellae and investigate whether variability in the density of fabellae could explain any discrepancies.
Fifty cadaveric knee segments were examined for the presence of a fabella by both X-ray imaging and anatomical dissection. The relative density of each excised fabella specimen was then quantified using a separate set of radiographs. Results: Fabellae were detected in 40% of the sample knees via a manual dissection approach but in just 12% of those same specimens using X-ray imaging. Relative density measurements confirmed that fabellae identifiable only via dissection were significantly less dense than fabellae visible in whole knee radiographs but denser than the surrounding tissue.
Radiology cannot reliably detect cartilaginous or incompletely ossified fabellae, which were found in 28% of the study population. Clinicians should consider the potential occurrence of a fabella when diagnosing posterolateral knee pain, even if it may not be visible via X-ray.
据报道，腘绳肌籽骨的患病率差异很大，特别是在基于X射线成像或解剖解剖方法的研究之间。本研究的目的是直接比较这两种方法在检测腘绳肌籽骨方面的差异，并研究腘绳肌籽骨密度的变异性是否可以解释任何差异。
通过X射线成像和解剖解剖对50个尸体膝关节段进行检查，以确定是否存在腘绳肌籽骨。然后使用另一组X光片对每个切除的腘绳肌籽骨标本的相对密度进行量化。结果：通过手动解剖方法在40%的样本膝关节中检测到腘绳肌籽骨，但在使用X射线成像的相同标本中仅检测到12%。相对密度测量证实，仅通过解剖可识别的腘绳肌籽骨的密度明显低于全膝关节X光片中可见的腘绳肌籽骨，但高于周围组织。
放射学不能可靠地检测出软骨性或未完全骨化的腘绳肌籽骨，在28%的研究人群中发现了这种情况。临床医生在诊断膝关节后外侧疼痛时应考虑腘绳肌籽骨的潜在存在，即使通过X射线可能看不到。
