In the article, we will consider how an x-ray of the wrist joint is performed. Why is this study needed?
This joint plays a very important role in the process of hand movement, being one of the most flexible joints in the human body. This area is a supporting ligamentous apparatus that connects the bones of the hand to the forearm and is responsible for movement, and in addition, for motor skills, rotation, extension and bending of the arms. The wrist joint makes up a large number of small bones, which makes it very elastic, but subject to very frequent injuries and all kinds of diseases. Any violation in combination with damage to this area of the upper limbs can adversely affect the general condition of the patient, limiting his activity.
X-ray features
The X-ray of the wrist joint is by far the most informative and visual diagnostic study that helps to detect various types of damage, development pathology, trauma, inflammation, the general condition of cartilage and bones, soft tissues of the lower region of the forearm and wrist. The most common diseases of the considered area of the upper limb are arthritis along with arthrosis, tendonitis, necrosis, tunnel syndrome, injuries, osteochondropathy.
Preparation for
When the patient receives a referral to an X-ray room, he can go there right away, since no special preparation for such an examination of the joints will be required. The effectiveness of the x-ray of the wrist joint depends directly on the correctness of the chosen angle of the radiation projections. In the picture, the bones of the lower part of the affected limb of the patient must be visible, that is, the wrist joint with areas of the finger elements.
Standard projection
The standard projection is generally straight, but with such a study it is often impossible to consider the smallest damage. The patient’s hand is laid down with the palm of the hand, and the elbow joint should be bent. It is very important to achieve a snug fit to the existing surface, and at the same time, a stationary position of the palm is required when performing x-rays. In oblique projections of guided rays, the position of the damaged brush relative to the surface is usually forty-five degrees. To fix this deviation, a special pad is placed under the palm of your hand. Next, let's talk about the procedure for conducting x-rays.
Carrying out an x-ray of the wrist joint in two projections
Radiography of such a site as the wrist joint is carried out, as a rule, in two projections. Directly on the image itself, the lower third of the forearm bones, wrist elements, and the wrist joint region should be visible at the same time. In addition, the image should demonstrate the state of the metacarpal bones, since very often damage to the area in question is confused with wrist injuries.
An x-ray of the left wrist joint usually takes about five minutes, and the dosage of radiation is very small, and therefore the patient has nothing to fear. After completing the examination, the patient receives a picture taken with a description and is sent to undergo a consultation and further therapy with an appropriate specialist.
As part of the procedure, the patient can lay or plant depending on the severity of his condition. The main disadvantage of radiography can be the low room temperature (usually in such offices it is very cold). The difficulty is the need for a short fixation of the affected joint. That part of the patient’s body that does not need to be examined by rays is covered with an apron from a material containing lead. This makes it possible to reduce the radiation burden on the human body to a minimum.
Patients are usually asked to hold their breath (which is done for a split minute), this will be required to obtain the most accurate image. The object must be completely motionless. When a doctor needs to take a picture from two projections, the specialist locates the damaged joint of the patient at different angles to the table and in relation to the directed x-ray rays.
Wrist anatomy
It acts as one of the components of the wrist element, which is directly involved in the motor activity of the hand. It is worth noting that the wrist joint is not an anatomical concept at all, it is rather a functional category. Clinicians call this part of the body the most complex section of the human upper limbs. This element provides hand mobility in all required directions. Any abnormality is detected by x-ray.
The anatomy of the wrist joint consists of a number of separate structures:
- A wrist band located between the forearm and the first row of carpal bones.
- Mid-carpal structure located between the bones of the first and second row of the wrist.
- The wrist element that lies between the individual carpal structures.
- The carpal structure located between the bones of the second row of the wrist and the proximal head of the metacarpal bones.
Fracture x-ray
It is worth saying that x-ray for fracture of the wrist joint is a very necessary and important diagnostic method. Such a study will always help to identify different types of injuries, as well as all kinds of foreign bodies that can be in the tissue around the fracture. Such a diagnostic measure allows you to determine whether surgical intervention is required in relation to a particular patient. However, an x-ray cannot detect the condition of the affected tissue around the fracture, including ligaments and muscles.
During pregnancy
In the event that a woman is pregnant, this technique is not suitable for her because of exposure to radiation (albeit small). Doctors in such cases can recommend an x-ray for a fracture only in the most dangerous cases.
After injury, before the procedure, patients will be asked to remove any jewelry with metal things. The patient can not only sit or lie down, but also stand in the framework of this diagnostic technique. As a rule, the position of the body directly depends on the nature of the injury.
Is there a fracture or not?
Find out what is the standard x-ray of the wrist joint.
According to the workers of the X-ray rooms, normally the negative image that appears on the radiograph looks as follows: a denser tissue should correspond to a lighter part of the image. Thus, when there is no darkening, this indicates that there is no fracture in the bones.
X-ray advantages over other methods
The function of the wrist joint is its purpose as a connecting link of the bones of the hands. This element is responsible for the motility of the brush, so any damage to it is always a very difficult task, requiring immediate assistance from medical personnel.
How informative are wrist x-rays?
The main purpose of radiography, which is a separate direction of diagnosis, is to confirm the presence of a closed or open fracture, bone crack, subluxation and dislocation of joints, trauma to the ligamentous apparatus, and the like. In addition to the above functions, x-rays have several of the following advantages:
- Ability to determine the location of bone fragments.
- A statement of the favorable outcome of fractures at the end of surgical or conservative treatment.
- Diagnosis of arthritis, an infectious and metabolic disease of bone tissue.
- Identification of bone and joint disorders at the earliest stages.
- The ability to confirm professional deformation and deviations in the development of the articular or bone apparatus due to improper patient nutrition.
Thus, x-ray today is an affordable way to study the bone skeleton of the human body at any age.
An x-ray of the wrist joint is presented in the article.
Indications for x-ray
If you act mechanically on the wrist joint with the application of pressure and force, this can cause the following violations in the supporting and ligamentous apparatus:
- Getting a serious dislocation.
- The appearance of fragmentation.
- The presence of bias.
- Getting a severe bruise.
Without the necessary research, it is sometimes very difficult for doctors to determine the nature of the pathology and prescribe emergency therapy. But it is also worth noting that, in addition to mechanical trauma, the cause of joint disease can be:
- Factor of physiological aging of the body.
- The effect of an unbalanced diet.
- The development of physical inactivity.
- Improper physical activity.
- Doing hard work with excessive muscle load and so on.
Indications for x-ray for the study of the wrist joint are divided into two groups:
- In acute pain, determined by palpation and the presence of edema, hematomas and other things.
- Against the background of diagnosis, due to confirmation of suspicions that have symptoms similar to articular pathologies.
In no case should you carry out an x-ray of the wrist joint in the following categories of patients:
- Pregnant, since the received radiation can easily provoke pathologies of the development of the bearing fetus.
- Women with lactation, since radiation exposure can lead to sharp hormonal jumps and stop the production of mother's milk.
- The presence of an extremely serious condition in the patient, which excludes the X-ray.
In the presence of these contraindications, the doctor decides to use the adjacent direction of diagnosis, for example, computed tomography or MRI.
What does x-ray mean for closing the growth zones of the wrist joint?
In the x-ray image, the state of the bone growth zones is characterized by three indicators: the height of the growth zone, the nature of its contours, and the width and uniformity of the zones of calcification. The height of the sprout zones is a variable value, progressively decreasing with age. Age normative indicators are not established. The main indicator of the norm of this component of the germ zone is the uniformity of height throughout.
X-ray or MRI for wrist injuries?
Radiography is considered to be very fast, and at the same time affordable and fairly accurate diagnostic method. This method makes it possible to see the entire bone structure, analyzing its condition, detecting pathology and trauma, displacement or violation.
But in cases where it is required to assess the condition of soft tissue, ligaments and muscles, doctors can prescribe MRI of the wrist joint. This procedure should be carried out against the background of suspicions of some diseases like tunnel syndrome, cancer abnormalities, abnormalities of the development of the hands and so on.
As a rule, the doctor independently solves the question about the need for a particular diagnostic method of the patient’s examination, taking into account the nature of the disease, disorder, characteristics of the patient’s body, his age, condition and other individual characteristics.
We examined what an x-ray of the wrist joint is.