Carpal or carpometacarpal dislocation on X‑ray: 5 real cases
Real, openly licensed radiographs showing carpal or carpometacarpal dislocation. Study what to look for, then open each case and read it yourself before revealing the answer.
What to look for
- Loss of the normal smooth carpal arcs (Gilula's lines) on the PA view.
- On the lateral view, the radius, lunate and capitate should line up; loss of this alignment indicates a carpal dislocation.
- Carpometacarpal dislocations show overlap or loss of the CMC joint spaces, best seen on oblique and lateral views.
Quiz yourself on upper limb images
Cases
Case #146698327Upper limb · Advanced
Case #132208837Upper limb · Advanced
Case #10652298Upper limb · Advanced
Case #10652311Upper limb · Advanced
Case #10652318Upper limb · AdvancedOther upper limb diagnoses
- Acromioclavicular joint dislocation
- Calcific tendinitis
- Clavicle fracture
- Distal radius fracture
- Elbow dislocation
- Finger (interphalangeal) dislocation
- Finger (phalangeal) fracture
- Forearm shaft fracture (radius and ulna)
- Galeazzi fracture-dislocation
- Hill-Sachs lesion
- Humeral shaft fracture
- Metacarpal fracture
- Proximal humerus fracture
- Radial head fracture
- Rolando fracture
- Scaphoid fracture
- Shoulder (glenohumeral) dislocation
Diagnoses come from each image's documented source. Credits and licences are shown on each case and on the image credits page.