Investigative radiology
-
Investigative radiology · Feb 1998
Comparative StudyElbow effusions: distribution of joint fluid with flexion and extension and imaging implications.
The authors study the distribution of elbow joint fluid with flexion and extension of the joint and evaluate the imaging implications of such distribution. ⋯ The distribution of joint fluid in the elbow is influenced by flexion and extension of the joint. Radiography is best performed in flexion. Sonography is more sensitive than radiography in diagnosing effusions, but should be performed along the olecranon fossa with the elbow flexed. Magnetic resonance imaging is most sensitive in identifying effusions, regardless of joint position or location.