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Medial supracondylar line

The medial supracondylar line is a prominent longitudinal bony ridge on the distal femur, extending proximally from the medial epicondyle. It serves as an important surface landmark for muscular and ligamentous attachments and contributes to the structural contour of the distal femur.

It is a key anatomical reference in orthopedic anatomy, surgical approaches to the distal femur, and radiologic evaluation of femoral morphology.

Synonyms

  • Medial supracondylar ridge

  • Medial supracondylar crest

Location

  • Located on the distal medial aspect of the femur

  • Extends proximally from the medial epicondyle

  • Forms the medial boundary of the popliteal surface

  • Situated superior to the medial femoral condyle

  • Inferior to the linea aspera

Anatomical components

  • Bony ridge of cortical bone

  • Continuous superiorly with the linea aspera

  • Inferiorly blends with the medial epicondyle and condyle

  • Serves as an attachment zone for muscles and intermuscular septum

Relations

Anteriorly:

  • Medial surface of the distal femoral shaft

Posteriorly:

  • Popliteal surface of the femur

Medially:

  • Medial intermuscular septum

Laterally:

  • Distal femoral shaft

Inferiorly:

  • Medial femoral epicondyle and condyle

Superiorly:

  • Linea aspera

Structures attached

  • Medial intermuscular septum

  • Vastus medialis muscle fibers

  • Adductor magnus (via adductor tubercle near distal end)

  • Medial head of gastrocnemius (adjacent region)

X-ray appearance

Plain radiographs (AP and lateral femur/knee views):

  • Medial supracondylar line: Linear cortical prominence along the distal medial femur

  • Continuity: Seen extending proximally from the medial epicondyle

  • Cortical density: Similar to adjacent femoral cortex

  • Best visualized: On AP view with slight external rotation

CT appearance

Non-contrast CT:

  • Bony ridge: Clearly defined cortical projection on the medial distal femur

  • Cortical thickness: Uniform and continuous

  • Relationship to condyle: Seen blending inferiorly with the medial condyle

  • Useful for: Assessing bony morphology and surface contour

MRI appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Cortical bone: Low signal intensity

  • Adjacent marrow: High signal intensity

  • Supracondylar line: Seen as a low-signal linear contour along the medial femur

T2-weighted images:

  • Cortical ridge: Low signal

  • Surrounding soft tissues: Intermediate to high signal

  • Muscle attachments: Clearly outlined against marrow and soft tissue

STIR:

  • Cortical bone: Low signal

  • Bone marrow: Fat-suppressed, uniform signal

  • Supracondylar line: Well delineated as a signal void

Proton density fat-saturated (PD FS):

  • Cortical ridge: Low signal

  • Adjacent soft tissues and muscle insertions: High contrast against suppressed marrow

CT VRT 3D image

Medial supracondylar line 3d

CT image

Medial supracondylar line mri anatomy labelled image-img-00000-00000

MRI image

Medial supracondylar line mri anatomy labelled image-img-00000-00000