Skip to main content
Log in

Evidence-based practice in the utilization of knee radiographs—A survey of all members of the British Orthopaedic Association

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Orthopaedics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There has been a debate amongst orthopaedic surgeons about which plain radiographs are required in common knee conditions and this is a 5-year review assessing the influence of recent publications on the use of radiographs. A postal survey of all members of the British Orthopaedic Association was performed. The response rate was 60% (990/1,650). There was a broad agreement on the use of anteroposterior and lateral radiographs. The use of the posteroanterior (PA) weight-bearing radiograph has increased from 82 to 86%. The use of skyline view for suspected arthritis and after knee replacement has increased from 23 to 41%. There is still disparity amongst orthopaedic surgeons regarding the knee flexion angle for skyline and weight-bearing views. After review of the literature we recommend that a single skyline view in 30° flexion is adequate and should be a standard investigation in knee disorders. We also stress the importance of weight-bearing PA radiograph in 30° knee flexion for adequate assessment in all patients with suspected arthritis.

Résumé

But: Il y a un débat parmi les orthopédistes au sujet des radiographies nécessaires pour un bilan de genou. Ce travail est une revue sur 5 ans étudiant l’influence des publications récentes sur ce problème. Méthode: envoi d’un questionnaire par voie postale à tous les membres de la British Orthopaedic Association. Résultats: Taux de réponse de 60%. Il y a un large agrément pour l’utilisation des radiographies antéro-postérieures et latérales. L’utilisation des radiographies postéro-antérieures en charge s’est accru de 82 à 86%. L’utilisation des incidences tangentielles pour la suspicion d’arthrose ou après remplacement prothétique a augmenté de 23 à 41%. Il persiste des disparités entre les orthopédistes pour l’angle de flexion des incidences tangentielles et dans les clichés en charge. Discussion: après une revue de la littérature nous pensons que le cliché tangentiel à 30° de flexion doit être une incidence standard et nous insistons sur l’importance des clichés postéro-antérieurs en charge à 30° de flexion dans les suspicions d’arthrose.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ahlback S (1968) Osteoarthrosis of the knee: a radiographic investigation. Acta Radiol Scand Suppl 277:7–22

    Google Scholar 

  2. Rosenberg TD, Paulos LE, Parker RD, Coward D, Scott S (1988) The forty-five-degree posteroanterior flexion weight-bearing radiograph of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Am 70:1479–1483

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Davies AP, Calder DA, Marshall T, Glasgow MMS (1999) Plain radiography in the degenerate knee: a case for change. J Bone Joint Surg Br 81:632–635

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. McAlindon TE, Snow S, Cooper C, Dieppe PA (1992) Radiographic patterns of osteoarthritis of the knee joint in the community: the importance of the patellofemoral joint. Ann Rheum Dis 51:844–849

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Berry DJ, Rand JA (1993) Isolated patellar component revision in total knee arthroplasty. Clin Orthop 286:110–114

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Bindelglass DF, Cohen JL, Dorr LD (1993) Patellar tilt and subluxation in total knee arthroplasty. Relationship to pain, fixation and design. Clin Orthop 286:103–109

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Merchant AC, Mercer RL, Jacobsen RH, Cool CR (1974) Roentgenographic analysis of patellofemoral congruence. J Bone Joint Surg Am 56:1391–1396

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Laurin CA, Dussault R, Levesque HP (1979) The tangential X-ray investigation of the patellofemoral joint. Clin Orthop 144:16–26

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ficat RP, Philippe J, Hungerford DS (1979) Chondromalacia patellae: a system of classification. Clin Orthop 144:55–62

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Resnick D, Vint V (1980) The tunnel view in assessment of cartilage loss in osteoarthritis of the knee. Radiology 137:547–548

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Davies AP, Bayer J, Owen-Johnson S, Shepstone L, Darrah C, Glasgow MM, Donell ST (2004) The optimum knee flexion angle for skyline radiography is thirty degrees. Clin Orthop Relat Res 423:166–171

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Vignon E, Piperno M, Le Graverand MP, Mazzuca SA, Brandt KD, Mathieu P, Favret H, Vignon M, Merle-Vincent F, Conrozier T (2003) Measurement of radiographic joint space width in the tibiofemoral compartment of the osteoarthritic knee: comparison of standing anteroposterior and Lyon schuss views. Arthritis Rheum 48(2):378–384

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Jones AC, Ledingham J, McAlindon T, Regan M, Hart D, MacMillan PJ, Doherty M (1993) Radiographic assessment of patellofemoral osteoarthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 52(9):655–658

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Cicuttini FM, Baker J, Hart DJ, Spector TD (1996) Choosing the best method for radiological assessment of patellofemoral osteoarthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 55(2):134–136

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Vince AS, Singhania AK, Glasgow MMS (2000) What knee X-rays do we need? A survey of orthopaedic surgeons in the United Kingdom. The Knee 7:101–104

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Deep K, Norris M, Senior C (2003) Radiographic measurement of joint space height in non-osteoarthritic tibiofemoral joints. A comparison of weight-bearing extension and 30 degrees flexion views. J Bone Joint Surg Br 85(7):980–982

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank all the members of the British Orthopaedic Association who were kind enough to complete the questionnaire and enable this survey to take place.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Bhatnagar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bhatnagar, S., Carey-Smith, R., Darrah, C. et al. Evidence-based practice in the utilization of knee radiographs—A survey of all members of the British Orthopaedic Association. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 30, 409–411 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-006-0099-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-006-0099-6

Keywords

Navigation