How long after a fracture is fracture callus typically seen on an X-ray?

Fracture callus is typically seen on X-ray around three weeks post-fracture. This timing aligns with the biological processes involved in fracture healing. Initially, after a fracture occurs, there will be a hematoma formation followed by inflammation, which lays the groundwork for healing. Within the first week, soft tissue healing and cartilage formation begin, but these changes are not visible on standard X-rays.

After about two weeks, the fracture site might still not show significant bone formation, as the body is primarily in the process of forming a soft callus of cartilage and connective tissue. It is around the three-week mark that mineralization of that soft callus occurs, beginning the transition from a soft callus to a hard bony callus, thus becoming visible on X-ray as a more defined structure around the fracture site. This bony callus continues to mature and strengthen over time, leading to more effective consolidation of the fracture. As such, identifying fracture callus around this three-week period is essential for assessing healing progress in clinical practice.