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Elbow

A. Radiologic Perspective: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of Sports-Related Injury to the Elbow

B. Orthopedic Perspective: Elbow Injuries

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Orthopedic Sports Medicine

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Injury to the myotendinous, ligamentous, osseus, and nervous structures of the elbow can result from acute macrotrauma or recurrent microtrauma. Acute macrotrauma primarily results from direct impact of the elbow with the ground, collision of an outstretched hand with the ground, or high intensity movement involving the elbow joint in an unconditioned individual. Recurrent or chronic repetitive microtrauma to the elbow is usually the result of either eccentric overuse of the extensors of the forearm or repetitive valgus stress overload, as occurs with overhead throwing or work-related tasks. In these settings, the ability of MRI to achieve superb soft tissue contrast is of particular utility. It can evaluate for and distinguish between myotendinous, ligamentous, osseus, cartilaginous, and nervous etiologies in the athlete who presents with nonspecific symptoms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Romulo Baltazar, Benjamin May & Javier Beltran

  2. Departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Marc R. Safran

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  1. Romulo Baltazar
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  2. Benjamin May
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  3. Javier Beltran
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA

    Robert A. Pedowitz MD, PhD

  2. Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA

    Christine B. Chung MD  & Donald Resnick MD  & 

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Baltazar, R., May, B., Beltran, J., Safran, M.R. (2008). Elbow. In: Pedowitz, R.A., Chung, C.B., Resnick, D. (eds) Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Orthopedic Sports Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-48898-1_6

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