Magnetic resonance imaging of elbow instability

Traumatic injury of the elbow, both in the acute setting as well as in the setting of chronic repetitive microtrauma, is quite common. Specifically, the frequency of elbow dislocation is second only to that of the shoulder. Unlike the shoulder, however, the elbow is an inherently stable articulation, considered one of the most congruous joints in the body. This manuscript discussed imaging techniques for elbow evaluation in the setting of instability and reviews the osseous anatomy, as well as the anatomy of the soft tissue stabilizers of the elbow. Anatomic variants, potential pitfalls in imaging diagnosis, and the imaging findings associated with various types of elbow instability are considered.