Ultrasound in young athletes with osteochondrosis at the insertion of the patellar tendon

Osgood-Schlatter disease (OS) is relatively frequent in adolescents, especially those engaged in sports, whereas Sinding-Larsen-Johansson disease (SLJ) is much less common. Both forms usually require antalgic management and interruption of sport. High-resolution ultrasonography was used in the assessment of 70 young athletes with clinically suspected OS and 11 with a clinical picture of SLJ. The images thus obtained were as good as, and to a certain extent better than, radiograms for the purposes of diagnosis, especially because of their clearer visualisation of the soft tissues. An account is given of the typical ossification centre, cartilage and surrounding soft tissue alterations encountered in OS and SLJ. Ultrasonography provides a simple, easily manageable method for the diagnosis and periodic examination of the progress of knee osteochondrosis.