Real radiograph source library

Fragility Fracture Radiograph Library

A leereichelMD.com fracture image library built from real radiographs in open-access clinical research articles. The focus is fragility-type fracture patterns: wrist, proximal humerus, distal femur, pelvis, and femoral neck.

Image standard: no AI rendering and no generic stock images. These are de-identified radiographs from peer-reviewed open-access articles. Simple cropping was used only to isolate radiograph panels; one film-photo was converted to grayscale so it reads like the radiograph source.
Real wrist radiographs showing a displaced distal radius fracture in an elderly patient profile.
Real distal-radius fracture radiograph series from an elderly/frail patient profile.
Real wrist radiographs showing a displaced distal radius fracture in an elderly patient profile.
Real distal-radius fracture radiograph series from an elderly/frail patient profile.

Distal radius / Colles-type fragility pattern

Wrist Fracture

Fragility-type basis: The source study used radiographs and elderly patient profiles for displaced distal radius fractures; this is a common sentinel fragility-fracture pattern in older adults.1

Source: Figure 1 from Burgert et al., CC BY. Cropped status: no crop; original radiograph strip preserved. PMC13217588.

Real shoulder radiographs showing a proximal humerus fracture in an elderly woman.
Real trauma-series radiographs of a right proximal humerus fracture in a 76-year-old woman.

Low-energy elderly shoulder fracture pattern

Proximal Humerus Fracture

Fragility-type basis: The source article frames proximal humerus fractures in older adults as commonly related to standing-height falls, osteoporosis, and low-energy mechanisms.2

Source: Figure 3 from Kalacun et al., CC BY. Cropped status: no crop; original radiograph strip preserved. PMC12532694.

Real knee radiographs showing a comminuted distal femur fracture.
Real preoperative AP and lateral radiographs of a distal femur fracture.

Osteoporotic low-energy distal femur fracture

Distal Femur Fracture

Fragility-type basis: The source cohort was predominantly older and low-energy: the authors reported low-energy mechanisms in most cases, with the age 65-and-older subgroup entirely low-energy.3

Source: Figure 1 from Joshi et al., CC BY. Change made: grayscale normalization from the published film-photo color cast. PMC13080954.

Real AP pelvis radiographs showing pubic ramus fragility fractures in an older woman.
Real AP pelvis radiographs from a 77-year-old woman with osteoporotic pelvic fractures.

Pubic ramus and pelvic insufficiency fracture pattern

Pelvic Fracture

Fragility-type basis: The source case describes chronic pelvic insufficiency fractures after a lateral fall and highlights the crescendo pattern of osteoporotic pelvic fractures.4

Source: Figure 1 panels a-b from Gewiess et al., CC BY. Change made: cropped to radiograph panels only. PMC11663159.

Real AP pelvis radiograph showing a femoral neck fracture in an elderly fragility-fracture case.
Real AP pelvis radiograph from an elderly fragility-fracture case that included a femoral neck fracture.

Elderly hip fracture / fragility-fracture context

Femoral Neck Fracture

Fragility-type basis: The source case series concerns elderly fragility fractures of the pelvis with acetabular and femoral neck fractures, including cases without a clear trauma history.5

Source: Figure 1 panel a from Nakai and Fukunishi, CC BY. Change made: cropped to the preoperative radiograph panel only. PMC12262157.

References

  1. Burgert N, Ter Meulen DP, Schep NWL, Colaris JW, Jonkers HAF, Willigenburg NW, et al. Surgeon preferences and outcome predictions for displaced distal radius fractures in elderly patients: a survey of 151 surgeons making 4,832 treatment predictions based on patient profiles and radiographs. J Hand Surg Glob Online. 2026;8(4):101030. doi:10.1016/j.jhsg.2026.101030. PMID: 42220440. PMCID: PMC13217588.
  2. Kalacun D, Komadina R, Brilej D. Proximal humerus fractures in the elderly work up, classifications and fracture biomechanics. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2025;51(1):300. doi:10.1007/s00068-025-02945-0. PMID: 41099833. PMCID: PMC12532694.
  3. Joshi N, Sharma D, Deshkmukh S, Mankar S, Agrawal PP, Zodey K, et al. Functional and radiological outcomes of distal femur fractures treated with a combination of supracondylar nails and lateral condylar locking plates. Cureus. 2026;18(3):e105075. doi:10.7759/cureus.105075. PMID: 41994725. PMCID: PMC13080954.
  4. Gewiess J, Albers CE, Keel MJB, Frihagen F, Rommens PM, Bastian JD. Chronic pelvic insufficiency fractures and their treatment. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2024;145(1):76. doi:10.1007/s00402-024-05717-4. PMID: 39708227. PMCID: PMC11663159.
  5. Nakai T, Fukunishi S. Fragility fractures of the pelvis with acetabular and femoral neck fractures in elderly patients. Cureus. 2025;17(6):e86065. doi:10.7759/cureus.86065. PMID: 40666569. PMCID: PMC12262157.

Radiograph source records were checked through PubMed Central open-access records. Each selected source is listed as CC BY in PMC. Cropped images remain attributed to the original source articles.

Educational only: These radiographs are for learning and visual orientation. They do not diagnose an individual fracture, determine treatment, or replace care from a qualified clinician.

Educational Use Only

This website is educational. It is not a medical practice, telemedicine service, or a substitute for care from your own clinician.

Source and rights notice: Page text, captions, and layout are copyright (c) 2026 leereichelMD.com / Lee Reichel, M.D. Source radiographs are attributed to the linked open-access articles and remain subject to their CC BY source licenses. See the Terms of Use.