Patellar tendon ganglion cyst with Osgood Schlatter disease: a rare coexistence

Abstract

Patellar tendinopathy is one of the causes of anterior knee pain. Osgood Schlatter disease (OSD) is another reason for pain in this location, occasionally accompaning patellar tendinopathy. We present magnetic resonance imaging and radiographic findings in a case of OSD with incidentally diagnosed patellar intratendinous ganglion that is a rare coexistence. We report a case of a 30-year-old male who presented with anterior knee pain, prolonged for 20 years. In radiologic evaluation, there was opacity in the patellar tendon and there was osseous fragment near the tibial tuberosity on lateral radiographic image. Except for this lesion, patellar tendon had the signal intensity changes indicating patellar tendinopathy. Besides these findings, there was bone irregularities and bone marrow edema on the tibial tuberosity and osseous fragment neighboring these structures with surrounding soft tissue edema.

Patellar tendinopathy is a pathophysiological process that can be seen in people with knee pain and can occur due to recurrent trauma. Radiological findings can be encountered in a wide range from mild structural changes in the tendon due to degeneration to intratendinous lesions and adjacent bone pathologies such as OSD. Therefore, there is a relationship between two pathologies and magnetic resonance imaging plays an important role in the radiological diagnosis of these two entities.