Roentgenographic diagnosis of the painful wrist.

The painful wrist as a result of an injury to the carpal bones, ligaments, or joint capsule often presents a diagnostic challenge to the physician. In those cases where a thorough clinical examination does not explain the cause of the patient's symptomatology, a systematic roentgenographic evaluation of the painful wrist may result in early diagnosis and appropriate definitive treatment of the underlying disorder. This paper proposes an approach that makes use of the various available roentgenographic modalities.