Evaluation of Normal Ranges of Wrist Radiologic Indexes in Mashhad Population.

Hand and wrist radiographic indexes such as radial inclination, ulnar variance, carpal height ratio, and radial tilt play an important role in the diagnosis and management of medical disorders, so they should be modified regarding the population and race difference. This study aims to compare the normal radiologic wrist indexes in Mashhad population with other existing databases and define some of the factors that may influence the normal radiographic indexes. A total of 100 healthy participants were enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study. After performing PA and lateral wrist radiographs, all radiological indexes including the wrist height; 1st and 3rd metacarpal length; ulnar variance; radial tilt and radial inclination; radiolunate, capitolunate, and scapholunate angle; capitate and scaphoid length; lunate and wrist width; and lunate diameter were measured. Significant differences were found between the two genders in the 1st and 3rd metacarpal length (<0.001 and <0.001 respectively), wrist height (<0.001), radial tilt (=0.027), radiolunate angle (=0.001), capitate and scaphoid length (<0.001 and <0.001 respectively), lunate and wrist width (<0.001 and <0.001 respectively), lunate length (=0.003), and lunate diameter (<0.001). A significant linear correlation was found between ulnar variance (=0.003), scapholunate angle (=0.016), and wrist ratio (=0.011) with age. According to our findings, using population specific wrist and hand indexes is recommended to diagnose and follow up upper extremities conditions.