Elbow MRI

Elbow MRI Scan: Information and Get a Scan

Imagine you are on the tennis court. As you toss the ball in the air, your other arm extends the racquet to strike the ball, upon contact you feel a sharp pain reverberate through your elbow. You begin to ask yourself what happened. Perhaps a twist of the arm caused the sharp pain or the force of the strike? One thing is for sure: you can no longer finish the match. This type of scenario frequently occurs to those who place repetitive stress on their arm and elbow joint. The action may vary but the result always comes in the form of elbow pain.

It can be challenging to determine the exact cause of the pain. It could be a ligament tear, inflammation, or even a fracture. The only way to identify the culprit is with an elbow MRI scan. Continue reading to find out the common causes of elbow pain, and how an MRI scan can be used to help you make a full recovery.

What is an Elbow MRI?

An elbow MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is a safe and noninvasive scan that uses strong magnets and radio waves to create detailed images of your elbow joint. It helps doctors look closely at the anatomy of your elbow, including the bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues. This level of detail can help your doctor diagnose complex injuries and joint problems.

Why Might You Need an MRI of Your Elbow?

Your doctor might recommend an MRI if you’re experiencing persistent or severe symptoms that don’t improve with rest, medication, or physiotherapy. These may include:

•  Ongoing elbow pain or stiffness.

•  Swelling or inflammation.

•  Numbness or tingling in your hand or forearm.

•  A sense that your elbow joint is unstable.

•  Difficulty straightening or bending your arm.

If you’ve had a recent injury - perhaps from a fall, contact sport, or repetitive strain - an MRI can help rule out damage to elements within the elbow joint, such as the ulnar collateral ligament, radial head, or coronoid process (parts if the elbow that help with rotation and stability). 

It’s also helpful in diagnosing conditions such as tennis elbow, cubital tunnel syndrome (a condition where the ulnar nerve gets compressed or irritated as it passes through the cubital tunnel), or complications like bursitis (inflammation of a small fluid-filled sac, called a bursa, that cushions the elbow joint).

What can an MRI detect in an Elbow?

An elbow MRI uses a powerful magnetic field and radio waves to capture images of your elbow. These images show:

• Bones
• Cartlidge
• Ligaments
• Muscles
• Other soft tissue structures

These images can be used by your physician to determine if there is any damage or abnormalities in your elbow that is causing your pain. An MRI scan can detect common injuries such as:

• Fractures
• Ligament tears
• Nerve damage
• Inflammation
• Dislocation

An elbow MRI scan can also be used to identify degenerative damage such as osteoarthritis or abnormal tumours. The ability to view all of the structures in the elbow joint allows radiologists to determine the source of potential pain. Isolating the probable cause of your pain means your physician can prescribe an accurate recovery plan.

What Can an Elbow MRI Diagnose?

Your elbow joint is a complex structure made up of three bones (the humerus, radius, and ulna), along with muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. An MRI gives a clear view of all these elements from anterior (front) and posterior (back) angles.

Elbow injuries can be subtle and hard to diagnose with physical exams or standard X-rays alone. That’s where an MRI can be a really useful tool. By capturing detailed, cross-sectional images, it allows your radiologist to look beneath the surface and spot problems that might otherwise be missed. Whether you’ve had a sports injury, repetitive strain, or you’re dealing with unexplained symptoms, this level of detail can make all the difference in getting the right diagnosis.

Here’s what your doctor might be looking for in order to diagnose and treat your elbow:

Tendon tears and tendinopathy

MRI is ideal for spotting partial or complete tendon tears, which are common in athletes and active people. It can also detect tendinopathy, often caused by repetitive strain, like in tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis).

Ligament injuries

An MRI can show damage to the ulnar collateral ligament, radial collateral ligament, or annular ligament - elements that help to stabilise your elbow joint.

Joint effusion and inflammation

If there’s extra fluid in your elbow joint (a sign of joint effusion), your MRI will detect it. It can also show up signs of synovitis (inflammation in the joint lining) and bursitis.

Cartilage damage and arthritis

If your doctor suspects you may have osteoarthritis, an MRI scan can help them detect cartilage loss, bone spurs, and joint narrowing, all of which are symptoms of the condition. MRI can also pick up on osteochondritis dissecans, a joint condition in which bone underneath the cartilage of a joint dies due to a lack of blood flow, causing fragments of bone and cartilage to become loose in the joint.

Nerve problems

Your MRI might help identify ulnar nerve entrapment, which often causes tingling, weakness, or pain along the inside of the forearm and into the fingers. It’s a common cause of discomfort in the cubital tunnel region.

Bone injuries

MRI is especially useful for detecting small or hidden fractures that don’t always show up on X-rays. These are called occult fractures and can cause persistent pain, swelling, or reduced movement - even when the initial injury seems minor. For example, a tiny crack in the radial head or olecranon (the bony tip of the elbow) may not be visible on a standard scan but can be seen clearly on MRI.

How Does an Elbow MRI Work?

MRI scans use strong magnets and radio waves to create images of your body. There’s no radiation involved, making it safer for most people than a CT scan or X-ray.

When you lie inside the MRI scanner, the machine creates a powerful magnetic field that temporarily aligns water molecules in your body. A radio wave then knocks these out of alignment, and as they realign, they emit signals. The scanner picks up these signals and translates them into highly detailed images of the elbow's bone, soft tissues, and ligaments.

Your radiologist can view these images from multiple angles, including anterior (front) and posterior (back) views. That helps them understand the full anatomy of the elbow and pinpoint any signs of injury.

What happens during the scan?

If you’re referred for an MRI, here’s what to expect:

Prescan safety check

You’ll be asked to fill out a safety questionnaire. Let the technician performing the scan know if you have any medical implants (like a pacemaker), metal in your body, or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. These won’t always rule out MRI, but they help staff keep you safe.

Removing metal items

You’ll need to remove jewellery, hairpins, belts, and any clothing with metal fasteners like zips. Your technician may ask you to wear a hospital gown.

Getting into position

You’ll lie down on the scanner table, and your technician will place your arm in a special coil designed to hold your elbow in splace while detailed images are captured. The team will make sure you're comfortable and still during the MRI.

Optional contrast injection

Sometimes, the radiologist may recommend injecting a contrast agent into your bloodstream. This helps highlight certain soft tissues or joint structures. It’s usually only used if your doctor is investigating specific problems like tumours or infections. If you have a contrast agent, it will be administered via a thin plastic tube called a cannula into your arm or hand.

The scan itself

The MRI scan takes between 30 and 60 minutes. You’ll hear loud tapping or knocking sounds, which are completely normal. You’ll need to stay very still, but you can usually communicate with the radiographer throughout.

After the scan

Once the scan is complete, you can get back to your day right away—there’s no downtime unless you were given a sedative or contrast dye.

What Are the Benefits and Risks?

There are plenty of benefits to having an elbow MRI, including:

• No needles or surgical procedures are required, unless you are having contrast dye.

• It has no harmful ionising radiation, unlike X-rays or CT scans.

• It produces clearer images of soft tissues than ultrasound or CT.

• It helps your doctor accurately diagnose problems and plan treatment.

MRI is generally very safe for most people, but some may feel:

• Anxious inside the scanner. Let your care team know—they may offer earplugs, music, or mild sedation.

• Minor side effects if contrast dye is used, such as nausea, or, more rarely, an allergic reaction.

People with kidney problems may also need extra checks before having contrast dye.

How Do I Get My Results?

A specialist radiologist will examine your MRI images and write a detailed report for you and your clinician. They’ll look for any signs of damage to bones, ligaments, muscles, or soft tissues, including loose bodies or signs of nerve entrapment.

Your report will be sent to your clinician, who will discuss the findings with you and talk through the next steps, whether that’s physiotherapy, medication, or surgery.

How Much Does an Elbow MRI Cost?

MRI costs can vary depending on where you live and whether you’re going private or through the NHS. In the UK, you may be able to get an MRI on the NHS if your doctor refers you. Private scans generally cost between £300 and £700, but this can depend on where you live in the UK. Sometimes you can find an MRI scan cheaper than this if your clinic offers off-peak pricing.

Get an Elbow MRI

Book a private elbow MRI scan today. If you’re unsure whether an MRI is suitable for you, one of our expert clinicians is available for a personalised consultation. They can discuss your symptoms and concerns and help you decide what to do next.

FAQs

How long does an elbow MRI take?

Most elbow MRI scans take around 30 to 60 minutes. If your doctor requests contrast imaging, it may take slightly longer. 

Is an elbow MRI painful?

No, the MRI scan itself doesn’t hurt. However, lying still in one position may be uncomfortable if you have a very painful elbow. Let the radiographer know—they’ll do their best to position you comfortably and may offer support cushions.

When should I get an MRI for tennis elbow?

If your tennis elbow symptoms haven’t improved after 6 to 12 weeks of rest, physiotherapy, or anti-inflammatory treatments, your GP or specialist might recommend an MRI. The scan can help rule out other causes of pain or check for partial tears in the tendon.

What does tennis elbow look like on an MRI?

On MRI, tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) shows up as inflammation or microtears in the tendons on the outside of your elbow. The scan might also reveal tendon thickening or irregularity, signs that suggest chronic overuse.

Can an MRI show trapped nerves?

Yes, particularly with issues like ulnar nerve entrapment. The scan can show whether nearby muscles, bones, or soft tissues are pressing on the nerve as it passes through the cubital tunnel. This helps your care team decide on treatment, whether that’s physiotherapy, steroid injections, or nerve release surgery.

Can MRI find small bone fragments in the elbow?

Absolutely. An MRI is more sensitive than an X-ray at detecting loose bodies - small pieces of bone or cartilage that have broken off and are floating in the joint. These fragments can cause locking, catching, or swelling and may require surgical removal.

What is Tennis Elbow and How can an MRI scan identify it?

One of the most common elbow injuries is lateral epicondylitis, also known as tennis elbow. It is an overuse injury that happens from repetitive movements such as tennis, but also any type of repetitive use of the Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis (ECRB) muscle and tendon. As the ECRB muscle stabilizes the wrist, the ECRB tendon, connecting the muscle to the bone, is pulled. Over time the repetitive movement can cause micro-tears in the tendon, resulting in pain and inflammation. While these tiny tears can be hard to detect in an MRI, the scan can identify the inflammation around this tendon thereby diagnosing a probable cause.

How can an MRI Scan be Used to Reduce Pain?

An elbow MRI scan cannot be used to alleviate pain directly. However, it is used to identify the source of elbow pain. By showing the numerous structures in one image, radiologists can more accurately determine the potential cause of a patient’s pain. After identifying the damage and severity of the injury, physicians can intervene and prescribe a suitable treatment plan. This increases the chance of a quick and full recovery.

The Bottom Line

Elbow pain is frustrating, it limits your range of motion, reduces your ability to perform everyday tasks and forces you to give up recreational activities. If you are experiencing elbow pain, avoid the long NHS wait times and consider getting a private MRI scan. A speedy diagnosis is the first step in your rehabilitation, let one of our MRI centres help you get back to enjoying your everyday life.

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3548664/
2. https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/elbow
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16481216/
4. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/tennis-elbow-lateral-epicondylitis/
5. https://www.diagnosticimaging.com/view/mr-imaging-illuminates-elbow-joint-disorders