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Suprapatellar / parapatellar joint recesses – longitudinal

Patient Positioning

Patient lies supine, knee 20°–30° flexed.  Place a small pillow under the joint to keep this position.

Probe Positioning

Place the transducer on a sagittal plane in the midline over the quadriceps tendon and the cranial part of the patella (landmark).

Knee anterior superior joint recess longitudinal
Knee anterior superior joint recess longitudinal

SL: superficial layer (rectus femoris)
IL: intermediate layer (vastus lateralis and medialis)
DL: deep layer (vastus intermedius)

Note: the suprapatellar joint recess is best visible with slightly contracted quadriceps muscle / in mild knee flexion