Woman with intertrochanteric femur fracture diagnosed by MR

We present the case of an elderly woman who sustained an intertrochanteric hip fracture from a fall, with negative findings on plain film. The fracture was subsequently diagnosed using MRI and surgically fixed. MRI continues to be the gold standard for diagnosing occult hip fractures in the acute setting. Any elderly patient presenting with hip pain following a fall or other trauma must be regarded as having a fracture until proven otherwise, even if plain films are normal.