Corner fracture (bucket-handle) in suspected non-accidental trauma

The classic metaphyseal corner fracture (bucket-handle) is highly specific for non-accidental trauma (NAT) in infants; on a frontal radiograph, it appears as a curvilinear osseous density paralleling the physis, while on a lateral view it appears as a triangular corner fragment—…

• Teaching 'Case-of-the-Day' review (n not applicable) from LearningRadiology illustrates the corner fracture pattern on frontal and lateral projections.
• Differential diagnosis includes normal metaphyseal variants, osteogenesis imperfecta, rickets, and birth trauma, but the location and pattern strongly favor NAT.
• Metaphyseal corner fractures are most commonly seen in the distal femur, proximal and distal tibia, and proximal humerus in children under one year of age.

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