Osteochondritis dissecans. A histologic and autoradiographic study in man.

Surgically excised cylindrical specimens from 14 adult patients with osteochondritis dissecans in the knee joint were studied with histologic and autoradiographic techniques. The lesions were found to be composed of normal hyaline cartilage with no pathological changes. In the bone part of the specimens there were well-defined fissures at various distances from the tidemark. On both sides of the fissure, but especially on the OD side, there were scattered osteonecroses in complete disarray. No tetracycline fluorescence activity could be seen in the lesions.