RadteraXR Forearm
XRNo contrastMSK
Indications
- Forearm pain/trauma
- Suspected radius/ulna fracture
- Monteggia/Galeazzi injury
- Postoperative/hardware evaluation
Patient prep
- Remove radiopaque objects from arm
Contrast
None / non-contrast
Technique
- AP: arm extended, hand supinated, CR perpendicular to mid-forearm
- Lateral: elbow flexed 90 deg, hand true lateral (thumb up), CR to mid-forearm
- Include BOTH wrist and elbow joints on every image
- SID 40 inches; kVp ~60-65; tabletop
Series / Sequences
| # | Series / Sequence | Plane | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AP | Frontal | Hand supinated, full extension; include both elbow and wrist joints |
| 2 | Lateral | Sagittal | Elbow flexed 90 deg, thumb up; include both joints |
Key points
- Always include both the elbow and wrist joints to detect associated dislocations (Monteggia/Galeazzi)
- Avoid pronation on lateral (causes crossing of radius/ulna)
- Use long IR diagonally if needed to include both joints
References
• Lampignano JP, Kendrick LE. Bontrager's Handbook of Radiographic Positioning and Techniques. 11th ed. Elsevier; 2024 — forearm projections (AP, lateral).
• Rollins JH, Long BW, Curtis T. Merrill's Atlas of Radiographic Positioning and Procedures, Volume 1. 15th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022. Chapter 5: Upper Limb. link
• Radiopaedia: Forearm series link
• Rollins JH, Long BW, Curtis T. Merrill's Atlas of Radiographic Positioning and Procedures, Volume 1. 15th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022. Chapter 5: Upper Limb. link
• Radiopaedia: Forearm series link
Source: Researched — verify against your institution
Reference template — verify and adapt to your scanner, vendor and institution before clinical use. Not a substitute for clinical judgment.