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Normal values of scapholunate distance in Turkish children aged 5-14 years
Mustafa Yerli1, Tahsin Olgun Bayraktar, Ali Yüce
1Department of Orthopedic and Traumatology, Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Insights
This study established normal wrist radiograph ranges for Turkish children aged 5-14. Findings indicate that scapholunate and lunotriquetral distances vary significantly by age and gender, crucial for diagnosing pediatric carpal injuries.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic radiology
- Pediatric orthopedics
- Radiographic anatomy
Background:
- Scapholunate distance and carpal indices are vital for diagnosing carpal injuries.
- Assessing scapholunate ligament injury in immature skeletons presents diagnostic challenges.
- Establishing normative radiographic values in pediatric populations is essential for accurate diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the normal ranges of carpal indices on radiographs in the Turkish pediatric population (ages 5-14).
- To provide reference values for scapholunate distance, lunotriquetral distance, carpal height, and third metacarpal length.
- To investigate the influence of age and gender on these carpal measurements in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of anteroposterior wrist X-rays from children aged 5-14 years (2021-2022).
- Inclusion criteria: non-traumatic admissions, no prior wrist fractures.
- Measurements included scapholunate distance, lunotriquetral distance, carpal height, third metacarpal length, and carpal height to third metacarpal length ratio.
Main Results:
- Scapholunate distance was significantly higher in boys aged 7-10 years compared to girls.
- Lunotriquetral distance was significantly higher in boys across multiple age groups (7-8, 11-12, 13-14 years) compared to girls.
- Significant differences in carpal measurements were observed based on age and gender.
Conclusions:
- Normal radiographic carpal index ranges in Turkish children aged 5-14 have been established.
- Age and gender are significant factors influencing scapholunate and lunotriquetral distances.
- Wrist X-rays in children should be interpreted considering age and gender to effectively diagnose carpal injuries.
Abstract:
Wrist kinematic indices and scapholunate distance play an essential role in diagnosing and treating injury and disease of the carpus. It can be challenging to measure and diagnose scapholunate ligament injury in the immature skeleton. The aim of this study was to measure the normal ranges of the carpal indices on radiographs in the Turkish population aged 5-14 years. This retrospective study examined children aged 5-14 years between 2021 and 2022. Children aged 5-14 years with a wrist anteroposterior X-ray, children admitted to the hospital for nontraumatic reasons, and children who had not had a wrist fracture before were included in the study. The distance between the scaphoid and the lunate, the distance between the lunate and the triquetrum, the carpal height, the length of the third metacarpal, and the ratio of the carpal height to the length of the third metacarpal were measured. It was found that the scapholunate distance was significantly higher in boys aged 7-8 years and 9-10 years ( P = 0.001, P = 0.004). When the averages of the lunotriquetral distances were analyzed according to age groups, it was found that it was significantly higher in boys of 7-8 years old, 11-12 years old, and 13-14 years old groups compared with girls ( P = 0.003, P < 0.001, P = 0.004). In this study aiming to find the average values of scapholunate distance, lunotriquetral distance, and carpal indices in children, we concluded that we should examine the wrist X-ray in terms of carpal injuries by considering age and gender.
