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Lateral condyle of tibia

The lateral condyle of the tibia is the outer component of the proximal tibia forming the lateral part of the tibial plateau. It articulates with the lateral femoral condyle and plays a vital role in weight transmission, knee stability, and motion. Its shape, slope, and surface characteristics are crucial in knee biomechanics and orthopedic assessment.

It is a key anatomical landmark in knee imaging, trauma evaluation, sports medicine, and joint replacement planning.

Synonyms

  • Lateral tibial condyle

  • Lateral tibial plateau

Location

  • Located at the proximal end of the tibia

  • Forms the lateral part of the tibial plateau

  • Lateral to the intercondylar eminence

  • Inferior to the lateral femoral condyle

  • Superior to the proximal tibial metaphysis

Anatomical components

  • Articular surface:

    • Slightly convex

    • Covered by hyaline cartilage

  • Subchondral bone:

    • Supports the articular surface

  • Peripheral rim:

    • Attachment site for joint capsule and meniscus

  • Contained structures:

    • Lateral meniscus rests on its surface

    • Insertion sites related to cruciate and collateral ligaments nearby

Relations

Superiorly:

  • Lateral femoral condyle

Inferiorly:

  • Proximal tibial metaphysis

Medially:

  • Intercondylar eminence and medial tibial condyle

Laterally:

  • Fibular head (via proximal tibiofibular joint)

  • Iliotibial band and lateral capsule

Anteriorly:

  • Patellar tendon insertion region (tibial tuberosity nearby)

Posteriorly:

  • Popliteus tendon groove region

X-ray appearance

Plain radiographs (AP and lateral knee views):

  • Lateral tibial condyle: Appears as the lateral articular surface of the tibial plateau

  • Contour: Smooth, gently sloping

  • Joint space: Symmetric with the lateral femoral condyle

  • Subchondral bone: Uniform radiodensity

CT appearance (Pre-contrast)

Non-contrast CT:

  • Cortical margins: Sharp and well defined

  • Articular surface: Clearly outlined

  • Trabecular bone: Normal cancellous pattern

  • Spatial assessment: Excellent depiction of surface contour and subchondral architecture

  • Meniscus and ligaments: Not directly visualized

MRI appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Cortical bone: Low signal

  • Marrow of the lateral tibial condyle: High signal intensity

  • Articular cartilage: Intermediate signal over the condyle

  • Lateral meniscus: Low-signal triangular structure

T2-weighted images:

  • Cortical bone: Low signal

  • Articular cartilage: Intermediate-to-high signal

  • Joint fluid: High signal outlining the condylar surface

  • Meniscus: Persistently low signal

STIR:

  • Marrow: Uniform fat-suppressed signal

  • Cartilage surface: Clearly outlined

  • Joint fluid: Bright signal

  • Meniscus: Low signal against suppressed background

Proton density fat-saturated (PD FS):

  • Bone marrow: Fat signal suppressed

  • Cartilage: Intermediate signal with clear delineation

  • Joint fluid: High signal

  • Meniscus and ligaments: Low signal

CT VRT 3D image

Lateral condyle of tibia

CT image

Lateral condyle of tibia ct anatomy labelled image-img-00000-00000

MRI image

Lateral condyle of tibia mri anatomy labelled image-img-00000-00000