[Hypertrophy of Hoffa's fat pad - an arthrographic diagnosis? (author's transl)].

The wide spectrum of conditions, ranging from normal variants over early posttraumatic swelling to Hoffa's classical syndrome with hypertrophy of the fat pad can be demonstrated in double-contrast arthrography with high reliability, demonstrated after review of 1566 arthrographies in comparison with results of surgery and histology. Following post-mortem studies in 50 knee joints statements are made about normal size and shape, physiological variants and pathological enlargement of Hoffa's fat pad in arthrography. Since post-traumatic changes of menisci, cartilage and Hoffa body often cannot be differentiated by clinical examination, double-contrast arthrography should be performed routinely before surgery, since this technique provides the surgeon with a maximum of preoperative information about the internal structures of the knee joint and may modify the planned surgical procedure considerably.