Case of the Month

August 1, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Case of the Month -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLINICAL HISTORY Forty-one-year-old woman presented with lateral elbow stiffness and pain that have worsened over time. FINDINGS MR imaging shows abnormal morphology and signal in the common extensor tendon consistent with tendinosis and adjacent mild muscle edema in the extensor carpi radialis brevis in coronal T2-weighted (arrow, Figure 1) and axial T2-weighted (arrow, Figure 2) images. DIAGNOSIS Lateral epicondylitis with adjacent mild muscle edema. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS Radial neuropathy, radial neck fracture, capitellum fracture, distal humeral fracture, posterior elbow dislocation. DISCUSSION Overuse injuries, also known as cumulative trauma disorders, are very subtle in nature and occur as a result of repetitive microtrauma to bones, joints, and tendons. Lateral epicondylitis is also known as "tennis elbow." From 10% to 50% of tennis players develop this condition at some point during their careers. Tennis elbow is one of the most common overuse injuries and is caused by varus stress and tensile load on the elbow leading to microscopic tears of the common extensor group of tendons, which heal poorly.

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