A radiograph of the elbow in a child shows 5 ossification centers appearing. The mnemonic CRITOE describes the sequence of appearance. Which center appears last in this sequence?
- A Trochlea
- B Olecranon
- C External (lateral) epicondyle ✓
- D Radial head
Correct answer: C. External (lateral) epicondyle
Explanation
The CRITOE mnemonic describes the sequence of ossification center appearance at the elbow: Capitellum (1 year), Radial head (3 years), Internal (medial) epicondyle (5 years), Trochlea (7 years), Olecranon (9 years), External (lateral) epicondyle (11 years). The external (lateral) epicondyle appears last at approximately 11 years of age. This sequence is important in interpreting elbow radiographs in children because a displaced medial epicondyle can be misidentified if centers are not counted in order.
Reference: BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy, 8th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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