Finding the right tests…
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Finding the right tests…
X-Ray
Your elbow moves through a hinge joint made of three bones meeting at once, the humerus, radius, and ulna, and this test pictures that joint from two angles in one sitting. The front view lays out the inner and outer bumps of the elbow, called the epicondyles, and how their surfaces line up. The side view lines up the upper arm bone against the forearm bones, and it can reveal a fat pad sign, a small shadow that shows up when swelling has built up inside the joint after an injury. Most people get this pair of views after a fall onto an outstretched hand, when a doctor needs to rule out a crack a single picture might not catch.
The front view shows the medial and lateral epicondyles and their joint surfaces, while the side view lines up the distal humerus against the proximal forearm and can reveal a posterior fat pad, a sign of fluid inside the joint. Together they cover alignment details that neither view shows fully on its own.
An elbow X-ray with both views exists because a single picture of this joint hides too much. The front view spreads out the bony bumps on either side of your elbow, while the side view is what actually catches whether your upper arm bone and forearm bones still line up the way they should.
Doctors watching for a fracture pay close attention to the lateral film for something called a fat pad sign, a small triangle of shadow that appears when the joint has filled with fluid after an injury. This shadow is not supposed to be visible on a normal elbow, so seeing it can point to a crack even when the break itself is too fine to see directly.
This X-ray shows bone and, indirectly, joint fluid. It does not show ligaments, tendons, or nerves, so ongoing numbness or tingling down the forearm after a normal film usually needs a different kind of scan. Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor rather than waiting for your next appointment.
The front view shows the bony bumps on either side of your elbow, while the side view shows whether your upper arm bone and forearm bones still line up correctly. Reading both together catches problems that either view alone would miss.
It is a small shadow on the side-view film that shows up when fluid has built up inside the elbow joint after an injury. This shadow is not normally visible, so seeing it can point to a fracture even when the crack itself is too fine to see directly.
No. X-rays show bone and, indirectly, joint fluid, not ligaments or tendons. An MRI is used when a soft-tissue injury like a ligament tear is suspected.
You will usually bend your elbow to a specific angle for the front view and then turn to your side for the lateral view. The technologist will guide you through each position.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
Tell your doctor and the technologist beforehand. The CDC notes that x-rays of the arms do not expose an unborn baby to radiation, but your centre will still confirm timing with you.
Not always. Some non-displaced fractures show no visible crack and are only suggested by an indirect clue like the fat pad sign, so ongoing pain despite a normal film is worth reporting to your doctor.
The views are the same, but reading the film differs. A child's elbow has several separate growth centers that appear over time, and these can be mistaken for injury by someone unfamiliar with the pattern.