Question

Which area is fractured in the given X-ray?

• A. Tibial tuberosity
• B. Medial epicondyle of tibia
• C. Gerdy's tubercle

Hint:

Fractures of the tibial tuberosity are often seen in active adolescents and can result from trauma or repetitive stress.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Localise the lesion on the film.
The fracture sits on the front of the upper (proximal) end of the tibia, at the bony bump just below the kneecap where the patellar tendon pulls. This anterior projection is the landmark we must name.

Step 2: Match the landmark to its anatomy.
The patellar ligament carries the strong pull of the quadriceps through the patella down onto this anterior eminence. Because the tendon's force is concentrated here, avulsion-type and direct-impact fractures are typical - classically seen in adolescents (the Osgood-Schlatter spectrum) and after sudden forceful knee extension. That bump is the tibial tuberosity.

Step 3: Rule out the distractors by location.
• A medial epicondyle of the tibia is not a recognised proximal landmark in this anterior position, so it does not fit the imaged site.
• Gerdy's tubercle lies on the lateral (outer) surface of the proximal tibia and is the insertion of the iliotibial band; it is not the anterior midline bump shown and fractures there are uncommon.

Step 4: Conclude.
The anterior, tendon-loaded prominence below the knee that is fractured is the tibial tuberosity.

Final answer: Option 1 - Tibial tuberosity.