RadEssentialReading-room reference
Salter–Harris fractures
Physeal fractures in skeletally immature patients. Mnemonic SALTR: Straight across, Above, Lower, Through, Ruined/Rammed.
| Type | Fracture plane | Note |
|---|---|---|
| I | Through the physis only | Radiographs may be normal; widened physis. Good prognosis |
| II | Physis + metaphysis (above) | Most common (~75%). Metaphyseal fragment = Thurston Holland fragment |
| III | Physis + epiphysis (below) | Intra-articular |
| IV | Through metaphysis, physis and epiphysis | Intra-articular; risk of growth arrest/bar |
| V | Crush injury of the physis | Often diagnosed retrospectively; worst prognosis |
Sources
- Salter RB, Harris WR. Injuries involving the epiphyseal plate. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1963;45:587–622.PubMed ↗
Radessential summarizes published classification systems for practicing radiologists. Summaries are condensed; confirm details against the cited source before relying on them for patient care.