[Arthrotic manifestations on the patella in the x-ray and microscopy pictures]

40 patellae of different age groups were examined by X-ray and histology. X-ray changes found in the cartilage, corticalis and cancellous bone were in full agreement with histological findings. However, more than a quarter of the patellae were found to be affected by microscopic fibrillation of the surface of the cartilage without any demonstrable changes in the cartilage proper. In all those cases except one, however, roentgenograms helped to detect changes in the corticalis or also cancellous boneof the lamellae such as are associated with bone reconstruction, mostly in the form of subchondral bone lamella dilatation and of the thickening of adjacent cancellous bone trabeculae.