Strong Correlation Between Femoral Condyle Radius of Curvature and Anterior-Posterior Length: Implications for Osteochondral Allograft Matching

Saeed Jerban; Suzanne M Tabbaa; Sara Pearson; Paul E Caldwell 3rd; Kristofer J Jones; Eric Y Chang

doi:10.2106/JBJS.23.00609

Strong Correlation Between Femoral Condyle Radius of Curvature and Anterior-Posterior Length: Implications for Osteochondral Allograft Matching

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2024 May 9. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.23.00609. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Saeed Jerban¹, Suzanne M Tabbaa², Sara Pearson^{3

4}, Paul E Caldwell 3rd^{3

4}, Kristofer J Jones⁵, Eric Y Chang^{1

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
² Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
³ Orthopaedic Research of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
⁴ Tuckahoe Orthopaedic Associates, Richmond, Virginia.
⁵ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
⁶ Radiology Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California.

PMID: 38723057
DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.23.00609

Abstract

Background: The radius of curvature (ROC) of the femoral condyle is a factor in potential cartilage incongruities following osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation. Accurate restoration of the chondral surface may be achievable by using "best-fit" donor-recipient matching based on linear femorotibial dimensions, such as the femoral condyle anterior-posterior length (APL), femoral condyle width (lateral-medial length, LML), femoral hemicondyle width (HCW), and tibial plateau width (TPW), particularly if they correlate well with the ROC. This study aimed to investigate the correlative relationship between femorotibial dimensions and the ROC.

Methods: Computed tomography (CT) scans from 49 patients (31 men 28 ± 10 years old and 18 women 27 ± 6 years old) were analyzed. Axial images were used for APL and LML measurements, while coronal images were used for HCW and TPW. True sagittal images of the medial femoral condyle (MFC) and lateral femoral condyle (LFC) were used to calculate their individual ROCs by determining the best-fit circles along the condylar surface. Linear regression models were used to determine the relationship between the femorotibial dimensions and ROC. Measurements were repeated for a randomly selected subset of the data, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to investigate intra- and interobserver reliability.

Results: All femorotibial dimensions showed significant correlations with the MFC and LFC ROCs (p < 0.01). The ROC correlations with femorotibial dimensions were found to be in the following descending order: APL (R2 ≥ 0.83), LML (R2 ≥ 0.52), TPW (R2 ≥ 0.36), and HCW (R2 ≥ 0.27). The intra- and interobserver reliabilities for the APL (ICC > 0.98) and ROC (ICC > 0.94) were excellent.

Conclusions: The ROC was strongly correlated with the APL of the MFC and LFC. Donor-recipient APL matching in OCA transplantation may provide a level of matching similar to that achievable by direct ROC measurements.

Clinical relevance: Determining the most predictive femorotibial dimension for ROC restoration in the OCA matching process may improve clinical outcomes, particularly for patients with large osteochondral lesions.