Abstract: Bipartite patella is uncommon in clinical medicine.It is formed by two or more ossification centers which do not fused in adolescence.It is repeatedly misdiagnosed as patellar fracture in clinical practice.In order to elevate the recognition of imaging signs of bipartite patella and to avoid the fault in medicole-gal expertise testimony,three cases of bipartite patella were analyzed in combination of literature review,and the possible causes,histological changes,imaging signs,and clinical manifestation of bipartite patella were also discussed.The three cases concerned were all adults,two male and one female.They all felt pain after knee joint injury and were diagnosed as patellar fracture in medical institutions.Two cases were appraised on the degree of injury and one was on the degree of disability.According to Saupe’s grouping,two cases were group Ⅲ,and one was groupⅡ and Ⅲ.In the practice of medicolegal expertise testimo-ny,recognizing imaging signs of bipartite patella could provide more rigorous and objective conclusion.

Key words: forensic medicine, tomography, X-ray computed, diagnosis, differential, bipartite patella