Normal Elbow Xrays

A/P Elbow - Forearm in suppination

1. Humeral Shaft
2. Olecranon fossa
3. Lateral epicondyle
4. Medial epicondyle
5. Capitellum
6. Radial head
7. Trochlea
8. Conoid tubercle
9. Radial tuberosity
10. Ulnar Shaft

A/P Elbow through a ROM from full suppination to full pronation.

Red dot indicates position of radial tuberosity which moves from:

• Anterior position in suppination
• Posteromedial in neutral rotation
• Lateral in pronation

Lateral Elbow - Forearm in suppination

1. Humeral Shaft
2. Olecranon fossa
3. Olecranon
4. Medial and lateral epicondyle overlapping
5. Conoid tubercle
6. Radial head
7. Radial uberosity
8. Radial shaft
9. Ulnar shaft

Red dot indicates position of radial tuberosity which moves from:

• Anterior position in suppination
• Posteromedial in neutral rotation
• Lateral in pronation

• Demostrates: Unobstructed view of radial head, capitellum, coronoid process, humeroradial/humeroulnar articulations • anteroinferior glenoid rim.
  
• Helpful for:

Postion: patient seated with forarm resting on the xray table on its ulnar side; elbow flexed 90°; thumb pointing up.
Beam: aimed at 45° angle from the forearm towards radial head

An oblique axial view with the elbow in 110° of flexion best demonstrates posteromedial olecranon osteophytes.

Wilson FD, AJSM 1983;11: 83–88