X-ray of shoulder dislocation

Author: Mikael Häggström
Projectional radiography ("X-ray") of suspected shoulder dislocation should include both a frontal and a Y-projection in order to detect and determine the direction of the dislocation.

X-ray at left shows anterior dislocation. X-ray at right shows the same shoulder after reduction and internal rotation, revealing a Bankart lesion and a Hill-Sachs lesion.

Upon finding a dislocation, look for associated skeletal lesions, which may be evident first after reduction of the dislocation.