Elbow

Abstract

The elbow is a complex joint and susceptible to both acute and chronic injuries. MRI can be very helpful in assessing these injuries. Acute tears of the biceps and triceps tendons are best assessed with MRI as it can show the location of the injury and degree of tendon retraction to aid in surgical repair. MRI is also useful in delineating chronic repetitive injuries to the common flexor and extensor tendons, as seen with medial and lateral epicondylitis, respectively. When imaging the elbow, it is important to use the appropriate coil and a small field of view in order to optimize visualization and assessment of the small, but important, structures of the elbow. Imaging with the arm and elbow over the head is preferred versus the elbow by the patient’s side in order to place the elbow in the isocenter of the magnet for higher-quality images.