Diagnosis: Supracondylar fracture with posterior fat pad sign
Modality: X-Ray
Findings: The posterior fat pad sign is indicative of a likely fracture. The x-ray demonstrates a lucency of fat located in the olecranon fossa on a lateral view of the elbow. Without a fracture, normally, the posterior fat pad would not be visualized. In setting of trauma, the posterior fat pad sign indicates an occult non-displaced fracture – and in children, would be supracondylar fracture.
Credit: Case submitted by Dr. Wael Nemattalia to radRounds Radiology Network
