Fat Pads of the Elbow
Look For
- Presence and elevation of the anterior and posterior fat pads on the lateral elbow x-ray.
Interpretation
- Visible anterior fat pad - radiolucency anterior to the distal humerus, normally visible
- Visible posterior fat pad - radiolucency posterior to the olecranon, normally hidden behind olecranon and thus presence indicates effusionOccult fracture
- Sail sign - raised anterior fat pad due to effusionOccult fracture, usually of radial head
Fat Pads of the Knee
Look For
- The suprapatellar and prefemoral fat pads, normally next to each other on the lateral knee x-ray
Interpretation
- Separation of fat pads - indicates joint effusionLigamentous / menisceal injury, intra-articular fracture, arthritis, infection, tumour
- Lipohaemarthrosis - fat-fluid level within fat padsIntra-articular fracture
Next Page
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------