RadteraXR Humerus
XRNo contrastMSK
Indications
- Upper arm pain/trauma
- Suspected humeral shaft fracture
- Pathologic lesion/metastasis
- Postoperative/hardware evaluation
Patient prep
- Remove radiopaque objects; gown
Contrast
None / non-contrast
Technique
- AP: erect or supine, arm slightly abducted, hand supinated (epicondyles parallel to IR), CR perpendicular to mid-humerus
- Lateral: arm internally rotated (epicondyles perpendicular to IR) or transthoracic/cross-table lateral if trauma
- Include BOTH shoulder and elbow joints
- SID 40 inches; grid for proximal humerus; kVp ~70-75
Series / Sequences
| # | Series / Sequence | Plane | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AP | Frontal | Epicondyles parallel to IR; include shoulder and elbow joints |
| 2 | Lateral | Sagittal | Epicondyles perpendicular to IR (mediolateral); transthoracic lateral if patient cannot rotate arm (trauma) |
Key points
- Transthoracic lateral (Lawrence) for proximal humerus when arm cannot be moved
- Always include both joints to assess for associated injury
- Do not rotate arm if fracture suspected — use horizontal-beam lateral
References
• Lampignano JP, Kendrick LE. Bontrager's Handbook of Radiographic Positioning and Techniques. 11th ed. Elsevier - humerus and shoulder girdle link
• Long BW, Rollins JH, Smith BJ. Merrill's Atlas of Radiographic Positioning and Procedures, Volume 1. Elsevier; upper limb and shoulder girdle chapters.
• Radiopaedia: Humerus series link
• Long BW, Rollins JH, Smith BJ. Merrill's Atlas of Radiographic Positioning and Procedures, Volume 1. Elsevier; upper limb and shoulder girdle chapters.
• Radiopaedia: Humerus 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.