Case 13
History:
55 year old man with persistent lateral elbow pain
Findings:
MRI of the elbow shows thickening with hyperintensity signal involving the radial attachment of the common extensor tendon.
Diagnosis:
Discussion:
Lateral epicondylitis is a misnomer. It is not an inflammatory process but rather due to microscopic tears and reparative tissue at the radial attachment of the common extensor tendon. For most cases, it is a clinical diagnosis with imaging studies only for those cases that fail conservative management.
MRI is the imaging modality of choice for assessment of the degree of tendinous damage and the presence or absence of associated ligamentous injury. It typically shows thickening and T2 hyperintensity signal involving the radial attachment of the common extensor tendon. Radiographs are typically normal, although the presence of calcification at the tendon attachment can be present in the more chronic cases.
