HOFFAS FAT PAD
Hoffa's Ganglion

Ganglia are common fluid-filled lesions
Most often located adjacent to the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus.
Most likely arise from occult ACL ganglia
Some may arise from the intertransverse ligament or meniscal tears

Hoffa's Impingement
Post-traumatic changes of the fat pad
May follow hyperextension trauma, patellar dislocation or post-arthroscopy or by repetitive impingement.

Impingement takes two forms:
      • Hoffa's Disease
      • Lateral impingement

The latter is due to impingement of the apex of the fat pad against the lateral femoral condyle
Not always symptomatic
May be associated with maltracking

Hoffa’s disease.
also known as infrapatellar fat pad impingement
Described by Albert Hoffa in 1904
acute trauma or repetitive microtrauma causes haemorrhage and inflammation.
May be due to repetitive hyperextension or rotational strain
The posterior part of the fat pad affected
fat pad hypertrophies and becomes impinged between the femur and tibia

MASSES
Low-signal material within Hoffa’s fat pad has also to be distinguished from
      • synovial chondroma
      • Synovial haemangioma
      • Focal PVNS,
      • Synovial osteochondromatosis,
      • Rheumatoid arthritis
      •Gout
      •Amyloidosis.
      • Haemophilia