Radiological characteristics of Kienböcks disease in the Korean population

Abstract

Introduction: In Kienböcks disease, the wrist displays certain characteristic

radiological parameters, which have been reported to differ among countries. In the

present study, we aimed to determine whether patients with Kienböcks disease

have specific radiological features and to determine the extent of the association of

each parameter with the disease in the Korean population.

Methods: This retrospective comparative study assessed the radiological

parameters of patients with Kienböcks disease (n = 53) and controls (n = 53) who

visited out institution between January 2000 and May 2013. As the affected wrists

could not be appropriately evaluated, the radiological parameters were measured in

the contralateral wrist of each patient.

Results: We observed that wrists with a high lunate tilting angle (LTA) and lunate

covering index (LCI), and low ulnar variance (UV) and Ståhls index (SI) had a

tendency to develop Kienböcks disease. The radiological tendency of Kienböcks

disease () was expressed using these parameters.

Conclusion: A high LTA and LCI, and low UV and SI on plain radiography might

be associated with Kienböcks disease in the Korean population. The radiological

probability of Kienböcks disease could be assessed from the radiological

parameters quantitatively. These radiological characteristics might help in the

detection of Kienböcks disease by physicians at an early stage in the Korean

population.