Wrist
June 2025
Peer Reviewer: Justine Ko, MD, CAQ-SM
This image was obtained using a linear probe in a longitudinal orientation along the dorsal aspect of the wrist.
Image 1: Author’s own images and annotations
A 45-year-old woman presents to the ED with right wrist pain. She notes she fell forward and landed on an outstretched hand 3 days ago. You decide to ultrasound the area of concern.
Image 1: Case courtesy of Maulik S Patel, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 23736
What are the key structures in this dorsal longitudinal wrist image?
Image 5: Case courtesy of Mark Holland, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 19140 (author’s own annotations)
You can see a cortical disruption in the scaphoid bone and the fracture line extending deep. The scaphoid is a small carpal (wrist) bone that lies just distal to the radius on the radial side and is one of the main bones that articulates with the radius to form the wrist joint.
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Pearl: When in doubt, you can ultrasound the contralateral side for comparison.