[Carpal instability. Diagnostic considerations and clinical study]

The clinical picture of carpal deviations is far from evocative and diagnosis is uniquely radiographic. Clinical features become reliable when intermittent malalignment of the carpal articulations leads to instability: the trick wrist is an example. The measurement of the radiolunar angle on a neutral position lateral view of the wrist is sufficient in the screening for carpal instabilities. A dorsal radiolunar angle of over 25 degrees or a palmar radiolunar angle of over 10 degrees may be considered to be pathologic.