Table 3: A summary of investigations of the distal femur.

First author

AP condylar length

ML width (condyles, EW, BW)

Condyle height

Condyle ratios

Notch

PO

Trochlea

Red marrow

Femur surface area/volume

Van Diek [52]

M

ND

Han [51]

ML

NDM

M

M

M

Balcarek [37]

F1,2

M3

Cinotti [21]

Fa,M

ND

Alemparte [53]

F1

Barnes [68]

M

M

F

Fehring [70]

MM

NDE

Li [67]

Ma,b

M

Li [73]

M

M

Rosenstein [72]

F

Van den Heever [14]

M

M

Cho [16]

Mb

Mb

Mb

Mb

Vrooijink [75]

M

ND

ND

Pinskerova [17]

M

M

M

ND5

M3,4

Wang [42]

F

M9

Yan [43]

M

M4

Cavaignac [15]

M

M

Murshed [74]

M

M

Van Eck [77]

M

Van Eck [78]

MNW

NDNWI

Charlton [79]

Mb

NDa

Park [69]

M

M

ND

M

Yue [71]

M

ND

Dienst [80]

Ma

Estes [81]

NDNWI

Anderson [76]

Mb

NDa

Mb-NW

NDa-NW

NDNWI

Wang [20]

Mb

NDa

Arslan [22]

F

Biedert [82]

M6

Hasler [83]

M3,4

ND2

Kamath [84]

ND7

Voleti [4]

M

ND

M

Lee [85]

M

Bellemans [86]

M

Bisson [19]

Fa

M

Cheng [40]

M

M

Lim [18]

MM

NDL

M

Yue [13]

MM,a

MM,a

ND8

SUMMARY

Majority of studies showed males had greater unadjusted AP condylar dimensions. With adjustments, 2 studies demonstrate controversy.

Greater ML condylar width in males, although one paper suggested difference does not persist after adjustment

Majority show that males have greater condylar height

No consensus about condylar size/aspect ratios, although some papers focused on unique ratios or measured metrics differently than the others

Males had greater notch widths, although majority of studies showed this difference did not persist after adjustment/when evaluating NWI rather than simple NW

Males had greater offset with no adjustment; with adjustment, no difference or maybe slightly greater in females

Overall, findings suggest greater tendency towards trochlear dysplasia (metrics relating to shallow sulcus depth/asymmetry), although some characteristics showed no sex difference

ND: No statistical difference; F: Greater/larger in females; M: Greater/larger in males; EW/BW: Epicondylar width/bicondylar width; Xa: With adjustments (such as weight, height, BMI, bone length); Xb: Without adjustments (such as weight, height, BMI, bone length); XM: Medial only; XP: Patella only; XL: Lateral only; XE: Elsewhere; X1: Sulcus angle; X2: Trochlear asymmetry; X3: Trochlear depth; X4: Trochlear and/or trochlear facet width; X5: Trochlear shape ratios (trochlear depth relative to trochlear width); X6: Trochlear height ratios (AP length of medial condyle relative to bicondylar width); X7: Trochlear inclination; X8: Trochlear groove orientation/location; X9: Trochlear groove 3D modeling with radius and arc length.