Linea Aspera

Description

Photograph of the posterior aspect of a cadaveric femur (A) and corresponding line drawing (B) demonstrating the linea aspera as a raised bony ridge with the insertion of the gluteus maximus and adductor muscles.

Type I (parallel) of the linea aspera.

Name

• Linea Aspera

General

• Longitudinally oriented ridge on the posterior aspect of the femur
• Located on the middle third of the bone
• Attachment site for multiple muscles of the hip/ thigh
• Presents with a medial and lateral lip and a narrow, rough intermediate line
• Helps divide the thigh into compartments

Attachments

• Lateral and medial intermuscular septa
• Pectineus
• Adductor Minimus
• Adductor Brevis
• Adductor Longus
• Hamstring part of Adductor Magnus
• Short head of Biceps Femoris
• Vastus Lateralis
• Vastus Medialis

Anatomic Margins

• Diverge proximally/ distally
• Superior Continuation
  • Continuous with the spiral line, lateral lip is continuous with gluteal tuberosity
  • Central aspect is continuous with pectineal line superiorly
• Inferior Continuation
  • Medial/lateral lips continue to the medial and lateral supracondylar lines of the femur
  • Form lateral margins of the popliteal fossa

Variant Anatomy

• Type 1 (parallel): equal distance between the medial and lateral lips throughout
• Type 2 (concave): widest distance between the medial and lateral lips at the proximal and distal ends, narrowest distance in the middle
• Type 3 (convex): widest distance between the medial and lateral lips in the middle, narrowest distance at the proximal and distal ends
• Type 4 (variform): distance between the medial and lateral lips variable throughout (most common type)

Radiographic Features

• Posterior Anterior View
  • May be seen as two-axially oriented parallel lines in the middle of the femoral shaft
  • Typically in adults, rarely in adolescents
  • Termed "track sign"
• Lateral View
  • May cause scalloping of the posterior femoral margin
  • Can mimic pathology such as osteonecrosis, periosteal reaction

History

• In latin, linea means "line"; aspera means "rough"

Development

• Absent in childhood
• Appears around the time of puberty
• Increases in prominence through adulthood

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Clinical Significance

• Needs to be updated

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See Also

• Hip Pain Main
• Hip Anatomy Main
• Physical Exam Hip

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