Radiographic measurements of the skeletal structure of the normal hand.

Abstract

1. Measurements of the bone structure of the normal hand have been obtained from radiographs of the hands of 82 female and 51 male subjects. 2. Tables have been prepared of the mean, range, standard deviation and coefficient of variability of the length, width and relative slenderness of the proximal phalanges and metacarpals and the length of the distal phalanges of the left and right hands. 3. Several of the metacarpals and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th proximal phalanges were significantly narrower and had a higher index of relative slenderness in the left hand than in the right in the male patients. 4. The bones of the female hands was consistently shorter, narrower and had a higher index of relative slenderness than the male hands. The slenderness of the 4th metacarpals was particularly noticeable in the female hands. More bones showed significant differences between left and right hands in the females than in the males. Several metacarpals and the 4th and 5th proximal phalanges were significantly shorter in ...