title: Accurate radiographic measurement of the distal radial tilt.
abstract: Both wrists in 189 patients who had been treated for dorsally displaced distal radius fracture were X-rayed with both right angle and 15° tilted lateral views. Two investigators measured the radial tilt. The mean difference in the angles recorded by the two investigators was 2.5° for the tilted and 3.7° for the right angle projections (p = 4.7 × 10(-8)). The precision of the method was 2.6° for the tilted and 3.5° for right angle projection. The mean angle measured on the tilted views was 3° more dorsal than on the right angle views for wrists with a volar tilt between 10° and 15°, and 0° to 2° for wrists with less volar tilt or dorsal displacement. Lateral projections tilted 15° allow more precise measurements than right angle views. Correction is not necessary when comparing to right angle views, as long as there is displacement in a dorsal direction of the distal fragment.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rajabi
authors.forename: Oyvind
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Roed
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roed
authors.forename: Paal Sandoe
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Alm-Paulsen
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Russwurm
authors.forename: Vilhjalmur
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Finsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D011884:Radius / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery