Thickness of the subchondral mineralised tissue zone (SMZ) in normal male and female and pathological human patellae

The objective of this paper was to analyse sex differences of the thickness of the subchondral mineralised tissue zone (SMZ), and to find out whether systematic changes of SMZ thickness are associated with naturally occurring, non-full-thickness cartilage lesions of human patellae. In 32 methyl-methacrylate-embedded specimens (16 normal, 8 with focal medial, and 8 with lateral lesions) the SMZ thickness was determined, using a binocular macroscope and an image analysing system. In each case, the thickness distribution was reconstructed throughout the entire joint surface. The maximal and mean SMZ thicknesses were significantly higher in males than in females (P