Evaluating carpal instabilities with fluoroscopy.

In four patients with symptoms suggesting carpal instability (five wrists), fluoroscopic study of the wrists in motion was undertaken after plain film and arthrographic studies showed wither normal or nonspecific findings. Videotape recordings were made continuously of the fluoroscopic image. The examinations revealed that carpal instability can be due to a momentary subluxation that is demonstrable only by observation through a range of motion. Fluoroscopic observation of carpal motion is a useful supplement to static methods in the study of wrist injuries and in these cases gave decisive information not obtainable by other means.