Relationship of the Femoral Bicondylar Diameter and Intercondylar Notch Dimensions in Nigerians: A Radiographic Study

The aim of this study was to determine the relation of the femoral bicondylar diameter to intercondylar notch dimensions (width and depth). Antero-posterior normal knee radiographs of 200 subjects were evaluated to determine the femoral bicondylar diameter (FBD), intercondylar depth (IND) and intercondylar width (INW). The mean value for FBD, INW and IND were 8.84cm, 1.50cm and 1.02cm for males and 7.81cm, 1.26cm and 0.92cm for females on the right side respectively. For the left side, the FBD, INW and IND were 8.93cm, 1.54cm and 1.09cm for males and 7 .90cm, 1.30cm and 0.98cm for females respectively. There was weak significant correlation (p<0.05) between FBD and INW for males and FBD and IND for females on the right side. For the left side it was between FBD and IND. Our findings suggest a poor correlation between the FBD and intercondylar dimensions which may be a poor guide or reference point for knee realignment surgery or total alignment arthroplasty.

Key Words: femoral bicondylar diameter, intercondylar notch dimensions, knee morphology, radiography