title: A biomechanical approach to distal radius fractures for the emergency radiologist.
abstract: Distal radius fractures are the most common upper extremity fracture and account for approximately one sixth of all fractures treated in US emergency departments. These fractures are associated with significant morbidity and have a major economic impact. Radiographic evaluation of distal radius fractures is frequently performed in the emergency department setting, has a profound impact on initial management, and is essential to assessing the quality and relative success of the initial reduction. While the most appropriate definitive management of distal radius fractures remains controversial, overarching treatment principles reflect distal radius injury mechanisms and biomechanics. An intuitive understanding of the biomechanics of the distal radius and of common mechanisms of injury informs and improves the emergency radiologist's ability to identify key imaging findings with important management implications and to communicate the critical information that emergency physicians and orthopedic surgeons need to best manage distal radius fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. paul.m.bunch@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6129-7299
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bunch
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Sheehan
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
authors.forename: George S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sodickson
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Bharti
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khurana
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D011884:Radius / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D033081:Shear Strength; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Biomechanical; Fracture; Mechanism; Radius; Trauma; Wrist