Presentation
Acute injury to the medial right elbow. The rest of the elbow is normal.
Patient Data
A few images through a normal left elbow. The area of medial subcutaneous contusion is more proximal. No ligamentous or tendinous injury.
The green arrow points to the anconeus muscle.
Case Discussion
The anconeus muscle is a posterior/lateral extensor that plays very little role in normal arm movements.
The main radiologic importance of the muscle is to recognize its existence and differentiate it from the anconeus epitrochlearis muscle (accessory anconeus), which is variably present, but when present is located in the posterior/medial elbow. The anconeus epitrochlearis can be a cause or contributor to ulnar compression neuropathy. This patient does not have an anconeus epitrochlearis.