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Wrist

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Essential Measurements in Pediatric Musculoskeletal Imaging

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Abstract

The wrist is a complex joint allowing complex motion. Injury of the wrist joint may lead to limited function, which not only may have consequences for hobbies but also economic consequences in our current demanding professional lives.

To assess potential causes of limited function or pain in adults, bony landmarks are used for radiographic measurements. In children, radiographic measurements are more complex as the ossification centers may only be partially visible. When it is known how to measure certain angles, also other norm values should be used to define normality and pathology.

In this chapter, six important radiographic measurements, including the scapholunate and capitolunate angle measurements, ulnar variance, radial height, radial inclination, and volar tilt are explained with their normal per age category.

Furthermore, not only angle and height measurements can help define pathology. In children, specifically the epiphysis plays a major role. The cartilage thickness and irregularities may indicate overload. Joint effusion may also be a hint in the direction of intra-articular injury or inflammation. If an assessor is unsure whether the findings are abnormal and complaints are unilateral, measurements of the left and right wrist should be compared.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Gwendolyn Vuurberg, Floor J. M. de Jaeger & Mario Maas

  2. Academic Center of Evidence Based Sports Medicine (ACES), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Gwendolyn Vuurberg & Mario Maas

  3. Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands

    Gwendolyn Vuurberg & Sjoerd Jens

Authors
  1. Gwendolyn Vuurberg
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  2. Floor J. M. de Jaeger
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  3. Sjoerd Jens
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  4. Mario Maas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mario Maas .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Imaging Department, Reine Fabiola Children’s University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium

    Paolo Simoni

  2. Department of Radiology, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand

    Maria Pilar Aparisi Gómez

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Vuurberg, G., de Jaeger, F.J.M., Jens, S., Maas, M. (2023). Wrist. In: Simoni, P., Aparisi Gómez, M.P. (eds) Essential Measurements in Pediatric Musculoskeletal Imaging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17735-4_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17735-4_6

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-17735-4

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