Femoral shaft fracture on X‑ray: 8 real cases

Real, openly licensed radiographs showing femoral shaft fracture. Study what to look for, then open each case and read it yourself before revealing the answer.

What to look for

  • A fracture through the femoral diaphysis, usually from high-energy trauma in adults.
  • Describe pattern, displacement, angulation and shortening.
  • Image the hip and knee too; an ipsilateral femoral neck fracture can be missed.

Learn: Hip fracture

Quiz yourself on lower limb images

Cases

Radiograph from the case bank: Femoral shaft fractureCase #17326603Lower limb · BeginnerRadiograph from the case bank: Femoral shaft fractureCase #17373724Lower limb · BeginnerRadiograph from the case bank: Femoral shaft fractureCase #17373764Lower limb · BeginnerRadiograph from the case bank: Femoral shaft fractureCase #17738088Lower limb · BeginnerRadiograph from the case bank: Femoral shaft fractureCase #17738090Lower limb · BeginnerRadiograph from the case bank: Femoral shaft fractureCase #17755157Lower limb · BeginnerRadiograph from the case bank: Femoral shaft fractureCase #17755369Lower limb · BeginnerRadiograph from the case bank: Femoral shaft fractureCase #17755371Lower limb · Beginner

Other lower limb diagnoses

Diagnoses come from each image's documented source. Credits and licences are shown on each case and on the image credits page.