Three-dimensional wrist imaging: evaluation of functional and pathologic anatomy by computer.

The wrist has been studied morphologically and functionally using advanced technology. The osseous morphology of the wrist was investigated by computed tomography and surface reconstruction software. The functional behavior of the wrist in motion was studied using electromagnetic tracker technology. Three-dimensional imaging from CT scans is emerging as a research tool for the study of gross surface morphology, especially for osseous structures. One of the most demanding applications of this technology lies in the human wrist, because of its small size and inherent complexity. We have demonstrated some of the potential of computer graphics and three-dimensional surface reconstructions in the wrist for patients with osseous abnormalities. Acquisition of six-degree-of-freedom kinematic data to describe carpal motion has been made possible by new electromagnetic tracker technology. Analysis of these data in human wrist experiments revealed that the instantaneous center of rotation was not fixed in the head of the capitate, as was previously thought.