Artificial Intelligence in Detection of Distal Radius Fractures in Adults: A Scoping Review.

Hand (N Y) · Apr 10 2026 · Review

Griff S, Neal L, Chung J, Graves BR

Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC

Hand & Upper Extremity Orthopaedic Trauma

SUMMARY — THE REDUCTIONThis scoping review finds AI models, mainly convolutional neural networks, increasingly match specialist physicians in detecting distal radius fractures on radiographs but still struggle with complex fracture patterns.
Abstract, as published

Artificial intelligence has the potential to assist in the interpretation of radiographs. The distal radius is one of the most commonly fractured bones, and accurate and timely diagnosis is required for proper treatment. This review aims to summarize the current literature on the use of artificial intelligence, particularly convolutional neural networks, in diagnosing distal radius fractures. The results indicate that artificial intelligence has shown increasingly improved performance with image interpretation over time, often on par with specialized physicians. However, these models still struggle with complex fractures.

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