Anterior knee pain in paediatrics: Key imaging findings

Abstract

Anterior knee pain is common in the paediatric population due to the nature of the immature skeleton and the effects of increased physical activity. Particularly in the growing paediatric knee, there are a wide variety of pathologies and normal variants which can make radiological assessment challenging. Thus, the underlying cause of anterior knee pain is important to identify as it impacts on quality of life. Due to the increased reliance on radiology and technological advancements, we discover more pathology contributing to anterior knee pain. Radiological assessment is the mainstay for investigating causes of knee pain, particularly, plain film, MRI and ultrasound. The purpose of this article is to review the anatomy of the normal knee to demonstrate the structures that are likely to be involved, and to illustrate the causes of anterior knee pain in this population.