| Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools. |
The Effect of Rotational Malalignment on X-rays of the WristFrom the Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Hand and Microvascular Surgery, UMDNJ – New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA Correspondence: John T. Capo, MD, 90 Bergen Street, DOC 1200, Newark, NJ 07103, USA. Tel.: +1 973 972 0763; fax: +1 973 972 3897. E-mail:capojt{at}umdnj.edu. This study evaluates the effect of rotational malposition of the wrist on measured radiographic parameters of the distal radius and carpus. Ten wrists from five healthy volunteers were imaged in varying degrees of rotation. The wrists were placed in a custom, calibrated jig and images were taken in 5° increments to a maximum pronation and supination of 20°. The results demonstrate the following: a steady decrease in the scapholunate and radioscaphoid angles with extremes of supination; an increase in palmar tilt with supination and a decrease in palmar tilt with pronation. The palmar tilt varied from –4° to 15° and the scapholunate angle ranged from 48° to 29° at the extremes of rotation. These results demonstrate how malrotation in X-ray positioning can have a significant effect on the apparent alignment of the distal radius and carpal bones. Measurements taken from poor X-rays typically fall outside the normal range and could adversely effect treatment decisions.
Key Words: wrist • rotation • radiographs • carpus • distal radius
This version was published on April
1, 2009 Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Vol. 34, No. 2,
166-172 (2009) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
 |
|
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
