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The linea aspera as a rotational landmark: an anatomical MRI-based study

  • Anatomic Bases of Medical, Radiological and Surgical Techniques
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Abstract

Purpose

The linea aspera can be used as a landmark to assess the rotation of the distal femoral epiphysis when performing an endoprostheses. However, no study has assessed the reliability of this landmark. We therefore asked whether the linea aspera could be used as a rotational landmark for positioning distal femoral knee megaprostheses.

Materials

This is an anatomic MRI-based study of 50 femurs (27 subjects). For each femur, multiple axial sections were obtained from the intercondylar line at the knee joint to the lesser trochanter; each axial section was superposed with that where the posterior condyles were seen and the R angle was measured. The R angle is the angle measured medially where the line passing through the linea aspera and the line tangent to the posterior condyles intersects.

Results

There were considerable differences between and within subjects with a maximum R angle ranging from 100° to 120°. Regression models showed that the R angle was significantly associated with distance from knee joint and subjects.

Conclusion

Surgeons should have the R angle measured before performing a distal femoral reconstruction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Radiologia Musculoesquelética, Hospital do Coração (HCor) and Teleimagem, Rua Desembargador Eliseu Guilherme 147, 04004-030, São Paulo, Brazil

    Gustavo Reple

  2. Service de radiologie B, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, 27 rue du faubourg Saint-Jacques, 75014, Paris, France

    Gustavo Reple & Antoine Feydy

  3. Service de chirurgie orthopédique, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, 27 rue du faubourg Saint-Jacques, 75014, Paris, France

    Arnaud Felden, Philippe Anract & David Biau

  4. Université Paris Descartes, Paris 5, Paris, France

    Antoine Feydy, Philippe Anract & David Biau

  5. INSERM U1153, Paris, France

    Antoine Feydy, Philippe Anract & David Biau

Authors
  1. Gustavo Reple
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  2. Arnaud Felden
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  3. Antoine Feydy
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  4. Philippe Anract
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  5. David Biau
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Correspondence to Gustavo Reple.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Reple, G., Felden, A., Feydy, A. et al. The linea aspera as a rotational landmark: an anatomical MRI-based study. Surg Radiol Anat 38, 1069–1074 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-016-1661-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-016-1661-6

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