impacted fracture
Last reviewed 01/2018
An impacted fracture is a complete fracture in which the fracture line is indistinct. It results from compression of cancellous bone in the long axis with the two bone fragments jammed tightly together. The fracture is stable unless the fragments are pulled apart. On x-ray, it shows up as an area of increased opacity. It is easily missed since the expected normal transradiant fracture line is absent.