Anatomy of the hand
The hand is a colloquial term for the hand, which is the area from the wrist joint (inclusive), through the metacarpals, to the phalanges. For a CT scan of the hand, we focus specifically on the metacarpals and phalanges.
The bones of the hand consist of five long bones that connect to the wrist bones and the corresponding proximal phalanges. Each consists of a shaft, a proximal end, or base, and a distal end, or head.
The next bones of the hand are the phalanges, or finger bones. All fingers except the thumb have middle phalanges. Like any long bone, a phalanx consists of a shaft and two ends.
The individual fingers of the hand have their own names:
- thumb,
- index finger
- middle finger
- The ring finger or ring finger
- pinky
What are the indications for a CT scan of the hand?
The hands are the tool that enabled humans to achieve such stunning evolutionary success. Not surprisingly, there are often various injuries to this complex of joints, bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles. Often an injury to one component prevents the entire hand from functioning properly, hence the need for a thorough diagnosis of this area on a CT scan or MRI.
A CT scan is also extremely useful for evaluating inserted splints, wires or various implants, and can assess whether the implant in question has become loose or damaged.
With what ailments to refer for a CT scan of the hand?
The most common complaints of the hand are:
- dislocation
- subluxation
- breach
- overbreaking
- torsion
- lesions and degenerative changes
- inflammations
- mechanical defects
Preparation for a CT scan of the hand
In the vast majority of cases, a CT scan of the hand does not require the administration of a contrast agent, is quick and completely painless. It is not necessary to be fasting or to have your creatinine level and eGFR determined when performing this test. It is necessary, as for any CT scan and examination with ionizing radiation, to bring a current referral for a CT hand examination.