Complementary role of wrist arthrography in non-union of scaphoid fractures

Plain radiographs and wrist arthrography of 11 patients with non-united fractures of the scaphoid were retrospectively studied. The arthrographic feature of non-union was found to be opacification of the fracture line and, secondly, of the midcarpal compartment, whereas in patients with fibrous or cartilaginous union no opacification of the fracture line was obtained. There was no single plain radiographic feature that could distinguish non-union from fibrous or cartilaginous union.