ABSTRACT
Fractures and dislocations of the elbow usually occur secondary to indirect trauma.
In the adult, fractures of the distal humerus almost always involve the condyles.
Fractures of the radial head and neck may be subtle, and the appearance of secondary
signs, such as the elevated fat pads from an elbow joint effusion, may be diagnostically
useful. Dislocations of the elbow can be associated with fractures, such as those
involving the ulnar coronoid process. In children, the presence of epiphyseal and
apophyseal ossification centers can confuse the inexperienced observer in the setting
of elbow trauma. Osteochondral injury may be difficult to identify without adjunctive
imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Soft tissue injury at
the elbow is also well characterized by MR imaging. Fractures of a single forearm
bone may occur in isolation, usually due to a direct blow, but these are usually associated
with fracture or displacement of the other bone in that forearm.
KEYWORD
