Elbow series (summary)

Last revised by Amanda Er on 20 Mar 2020
This is a basic article for medical students and other non-radiologists

An elbow series is the standard series of radiographs that are performed when looking for evidence of fracture, dislocation or elbow joint effusion following trauma.

Reference article

This is a summary article. For more information, you can read more in-depth reference articles: elbow series (adults), elbow series (pediatrics).

Summary

  • indications
    • suspicion of bony injury
    • suspicion of elbow (or radial head) dislocation
    • elbow pain
  • procedure
  • anatomy
    • bones
      • proximal radius including radial head and radial neck
      • proximal ulna including olecranon and coronoid process
      • distal humerus including humeral condyles
    • joints
      • radiocapitellar joint
      • trochlear joint (humeroulnar joint)
      • proximal radioulnar joint
  • similar tests
  • important pathology

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