Presentation
Dementia patient. Fall. Tender left greater trochanter.
Patient Data
Rotated patient.
The patient's hand projects over the left side of the pelvis and hip.
Intertrochanteric fractured neck of the left femur.
Minimall displaced intertrochanteric fracture of the left femoral neck.
Case Discussion
Dementia and distressed patients, as well as those with an altered mental state, may struggle with instructions during the acquisition of images. The hands are particularly prone to be inadvertently imaged. As well as unnecessary irritation they may obscure the area of chief clinical interest as in this case.
This may make the image difficult or impossible to report or result in a discrepancy.
In this case, the neck of the femur fracture is observed 'through' the patient's hand.