Fact-sheet: Supra patellar fat pad impingement syndrome
- Suprapatellar fat pad impingement
Updated on 02/19/2018 at 9:04 PM
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Definition
Edematous involvement of the suprapatellar fat pad, thought to represent an entity analogous to Hoffa's disease and a possible cause of anterior knee pain
Further studies are needed to understand the pathophysiology and clinical impact
Reminder: Hoffa's disease occurs mainly in young, athletic individuals who, following an acute injury or repeated microtrauma, develop edematous-hemorrhagic infiltration of the infrapatellar fat pad, causing swelling and pain: on MRI, this appears as T1 hypointensity and T2 hyperintensity with enhancement and enlargement of the fat pad.
MRI
The suprapatellar fat pad shows:
- T1 hypointensity
- T2 or PD FatSat hyperintensity
- swelling manifesting as posterior convexity