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Rheumatology 2002; 41: 1085-1087
© 2002 British Society for Rheumatology
Editorial |
Imaging modalities of the painful wrist: the role of bone scintigraphy
Department of Nuclear Medicine, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
The wrist is perhaps the most complicated joint in the body and the most important joint for today's human being in this computer and internet age. Evolutionary in concept where so many bones are constrained to work together, it is not surprising that where there is strain there is conflict. Pain is often the presenting symptom. It is not surprising, then, that the painful wrist presents the physician with a diagnostic challenge. The differential diagnosis is extensive and a definite diagnosis is only achieved in about 70% of cases [1].
Injuries to the wrist account for 14% of all attendances at the accident and emergency department [2]. The time from injury to diagnosis and treatment is a relevant prognostic factor. Patients may present with acute (<1 week), subacute (<1–6 weeks) or chronic (>6 weeks) wrist pain or instability [3].
Physicians are encountering more active