II. Precautions

  1. Approach below is for adults with Elbow Pain
  2. Does not include children or acute elbow Trauma (e.g. Radial Head Fracture)

III. Causes: Chronic Anterior Elbow Pain

  1. Common
    1. Biceps Tendinopathy
  2. Less common
    1. Elbow intra-articular loose body
    2. Elbow Osteoarthritis
    3. Rheumatoid Arthritis
    4. Gout

V. Causes: Chronic Lateral Elbow Pain

VII. Imaging: Chronic Elbow Pain

  1. Elbow XRay indications
    1. See Elbow XRay
    2. Initial study of choice in Elbow Pain
    3. Elbow Trauma (including Fall on an Outstretched Hand)
    4. Posterior Elbow Impingement (Olecranon Osteophyte)
    5. Elbow Osteochondritis Dissecans
    6. Elbow Osteoarthritis
  2. Elbow MRI indications
    1. Chronic refractory elbow Tendinopathy
    2. Elbow Compression Neuropathy preoperative evaluation (Cubital Tunnel, Radial Tunnel)
  3. Elbow MRI Arthrography
    1. Elbow Osteochondritis Dissecans
    2. Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury
  4. Elbow Ultrasound
    1. Dynamic musculoskeletal evaluation
    2. Elbow Tendinopathy
  5. Elbow CT Indications (uncommonly used)
    1. Acute elbow Trauma with non-diagnostic xray
    2. Myositis Ossificans

VIII. Diagnostics: Chronic Elbow Pain

  1. Electromyogram (EMG) or Nerve Conduction Study indications
    1. Peripheral Compressive Neuropathy not improving after 6-8 weeks of conservative therapy
    2. Cubital Tunnel
    3. Radial Tunnel

Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)

Related Studies