Value of Post-arthrography Computed Tomography in Wrist Ligament Injuries

Byung-Sung Kim; Jun-Bum Kim; Dong-Hoon Shin; Jang-Gyu Cha; Han-Woong Je

doi:10.4055/jkoa.2007.42.2.171

Journal List > J Korean Orthop Assoc > v.42(2) > 1012635

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Kim, Kim, Shin, Cha, and Je: Value of Post-arthrography Computed Tomography in Wrist Ligament Injuries

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association

Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association 2007; 42(2): 171-176.

Published online: 30 April 2007

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.2007.42.2.171

Value of Post-arthrography Computed Tomography in Wrist Ligament Injuries

Byung-Sung Kim, M.D., Jun-Bum Kim, M.D., Dong-Hoon Shin, M.D., Jang-Gyu Cha, M.D.^*, Han-Woong Je, M.D.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, Korea.

^*Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, Korea.

Address reprint requests to Byung-Sung Kim, M.D. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, 1174, Jung-dong, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon 402-767, Korea. Tel: +82.32-621-5262, Fax: +82.32-324-9577, kbsos@schbc.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the use of post-arthrography computed tomography in examining wrist ligament injuries.

Materials and Methods

Thirty consecutive patients who had a history and clinical findings suggestive of ligamentous injuries of the wrist were examined. Fourteen men and sixteen women (average age 35 years) were enrolled in this study. The evaluation concentrated on the detection and precise localization of the ligament lesions in the triangular fibrocartilage (TFC), the scapholunate ligament (SLL) and the lunotriquetral ligament (LTL).

Results

For TFC, SLL and LTL lesions, arthro-CT showed a sensitivity 96%, 90% and 85.7%, and a specificity 80%, 90% and 91.3%, and an accuracy 93.3%, 90% and 93.3%, respectively.

Conclusion

Arthro-CT may be a useful imaging method for evaluating intra-articular ligament injuries of the wrist.

Keywords: Wrist arthroscopy, Post-arthrography computed tomography, Wrist ligament injuries

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

(A) A 24-year old women with ulnar sided wrist pain on the left side. Coronal reformatted Arthro-CT shows a tear of TFC radial attachment. (B) Arthroscopy shows the radial tear of the TFC.

Fig. 2

(A) A 29-year old man with a painful wrist on the right side. Arthro-CT shows dye filling between the lunate and scaphoid bones. (B) Arthroscopy shows inferior perforation of the scapholunate interosseous ligament.

Table 1

Palmer's Classification of Tiangular Fibrocarilage (TFC) Lesions

Table 2

Triangular Fibrocartilage (TFC) Radiology Findings

Table 3

Scapolunate Ligament Radiology Findings

Table 4

Lunotriquetral Ligament Radiology Findings

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