Long radiolunate ligament

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The long radiolunate ligament is a large intracapsular, extrinsic palmar radiocarpal ligament and a volar stabilizer of the wrist ^1-3.

Terminology

The long radiolunate ligament is also known as 'radiolunotriquetral ligament', 'volar radiotriquetral ligament' or 'volar radiolunate ligament'.

Gross anatomy

Thelong radiolunate ligamentforms a part of the volar radiocarpal joint capsule and connects the palmar surface of the radial scaphoid fossa with the lunate and triquetral bone. It also runs in an oblique orientation parallel to and separated from the radioscaphocapitate ligament by the interligament sulcus ^1-4.

Attachments

The long radiolunate ligamentoriginates ulnar to the origin of the radioscaphocapitate ligament from the volar margin of the scaphoid fossa of the distal radius ^1-3.

It covers the proximal pole of the scaphoid bone and inserts to the radial surface of the lunate bone. From there, fibres run and insert at the palmar radial surface of the triquetral bone. It blends with fibres from the lunotriquetral interosseous ligament ^1-5.

Radiographic features

Ultrasound

The long radiolunate ligamentcan be visualized on ultrasound with the transducer placed at the volar aspect of the radial side of the slightly extended wrist in the longitudinal plane and then rotated towards the triquetral bone. The long axis of the ligament is displayed as an echogenic, fibrillary structure attaching the distal radius to the lunate and triquetral bone ^2,3.

MRI

The long radiolunate ligamentis easily visualized on MRI. Similar to the radioscaphocapitate ligament it can be best appreciated on coronal or sagittal images or 3D images and usually has a hypointense appearance ⁴. The interligament sulcus can be delineated as a fluid intense structure. It also shows a striated appearance on coronal images.

Related pathology

The ligament is most likely injured or involved in the following pathologic conditions ⁷:

nondissociative carpal instability (CIND)
- ulnar translocation (type 1 and type 2): rheumatoid arthritis, Madelung deformity
- radial translocation
- radiocarpal translocation

-<p>The <strong>long radiolunate ligament</strong> is a large intracapsular, extrinsic palmar radiocarpal ligament and a volar stabilizer of the <a href="/articles/radiocarpal-joint">wrist </a><sup>1-3</sup>.</p><h4>Terminology</h4><p>The long radiolunate ligament is also known as 'radiolunotriquetral ligament', 'volar radiotriquetral ligament' or 'volar radiolunate ligament'.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The<strong> </strong>long radiolunate ligament<strong> </strong>forms a part of the volar radiocarpal joint capsule and connects the palmar surface of the radial scaphoid fossa with the <a href="/articles/lunate-1">lunate</a> and <a href="/articles/triquetrum">triquetral bone</a>. It also runs in an oblique orientation parallel to and separated from the <a href="/articles/radioscaphocapitate-ligament">radioscaphocapitate ligament</a> by the interligament sulcus <sup>1-4</sup>.</p><h5>Attachments</h5><p>The long radiolunate ligament<strong> </strong>originates ulnar to the origin of the radioscaphocapitate ligament from the volar margin of the scaphoid fossa of the distal radius <sup>1-3</sup>.</p><p>It covers the proximal pole of the scaphoid bone and inserts to the radial surface of the lunate bone. From there, fibres run and insert at the palmar radial surface of the triquetral bone. It blends with fibres from the <a href="/articles/lunotriquetral-ligament">lunotriquetral interosseous ligament</a> <sup>1-5</sup>.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Ultrasound</h5><p>The long radiolunate ligament<strong> </strong>can be visualized on ultrasound with the transducer placed at the volar aspect of the radial side of the slightly extended wrist in the longitudinal plane and then rotated towards the triquetral bone. The long axis of the ligament is displayed as an echogenic, fibrillary structure attaching the distal radius to the <a href="/articles/lunate-1">lunate</a> and <a href="/articles/triquetrum">triquetral bone</a> <sup>2,3</sup>.</p><h5>MRI</h5><p>The long radiolunate ligament<strong> </strong>is easily visualized on MRI. Similar to the radioscaphocapitate ligament it can be best appreciated on coronal or sagittal images or 3D images and usually has a hypointense appearance <sup>4</sup>. The interligament sulcus can be delineated as a fluid intense structure. It also shows a striated appearance on coronal images.</p><h4>Related pathology</h4><p>The ligament is most likely injured or involved in the following pathologic conditions <sup>7</sup>:</p><ul><li>nondissociative carpal instability (CIND)<ul>
+<p>The <strong>long radiolunate ligament</strong> is a large intracapsular, extrinsic palmar radiocarpal ligament and a volar stabilizer of the <a href="/articles/radiocarpal-joint">wrist </a><sup>1-3</sup>.</p><h4>Terminology</h4><p>The long radiolunate ligament is also known as 'radiolunotriquetral ligament', 'volar radiotriquetral ligament' or 'volar radiolunate ligament'.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The<strong> </strong>long radiolunate ligament<strong> </strong>forms a part of the volar radiocarpal joint capsule and connects the palmar surface of the radial scaphoid fossa with the <a href="/articles/lunate-1">lunate</a> and <a href="/articles/triquetrum">triquetral bone</a>. It also runs in an oblique orientation parallel to and separated from the <a href="/articles/radioscaphocapitate-ligament">radioscaphocapitate ligament</a> by the interligament sulcus <sup>1-4</sup>.</p><h5>Attachments</h5><p>The long radiolunate ligament<strong> </strong>originates ulnar to the origin of the radioscaphocapitate ligament from the volar margin of the scaphoid fossa of the distal radius <sup>1-3</sup>.</p><p>It covers the proximal pole of the <a href="/articles/scaphoid-1">scaphoid bone</a> and inserts to the radial surface of the lunate bone. From there, fibres run and insert at the palmar radial surface of the triquetral bone. It blends with fibres from the <a href="/articles/lunotriquetral-ligament">lunotriquetral interosseous ligament</a> <sup>1-5</sup>.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Ultrasound</h5><p>The long radiolunate ligament<strong> </strong>can be visualized on ultrasound with the transducer placed at the volar aspect of the radial side of the slightly extended wrist in the longitudinal plane and then rotated towards the triquetral bone. The long axis of the ligament is displayed as an echogenic, fibrillary structure attaching the distal radius to the <a href="/articles/lunate-1">lunate</a> and <a href="/articles/triquetrum">triquetral bone</a> <sup>2,3</sup>.</p><h5>MRI</h5><p>The long radiolunate ligament<strong> </strong>is easily visualized on MRI. Similar to the radioscaphocapitate ligament it can be best appreciated on coronal or sagittal images or 3D images and usually has a hypointense appearance <sup>4</sup>. The interligament sulcus can be delineated as a fluid intense structure. It also shows a striated appearance on coronal images.</p><h4>Related pathology</h4><p>The ligament is most likely injured or involved in the following pathologic conditions <sup>7</sup>:</p><ul><li>nondissociative carpal instability (CIND)<ul>

References changed:

1. Berger R. The Anatomy of the Ligaments of the Wrist and Distal Radioulnar Joints. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2001;383(383):32-40. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/00003086-200102000-00006">doi:10.1097/00003086-200102000-00006</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11210966">Pubmed</a>
2. Gitto S & Draghi F. Normal Sonographic Anatomy of the Wrist With Emphasis on Assessment of Tendons, Nerves, and Ligaments. J Ultrasound Med. 2016;35(5):1081-94. <a href="https://doi.org/10.7863/ultra.15.06105">doi:10.7863/ultra.15.06105</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27036166">Pubmed</a>
3. Taljanovic M, Goldberg M, Sheppard J, Rogers L. US of the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Wrist Ligaments and Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex—Normal Anatomy and Imaging Technique. Radiographics. 2011;31(1):79-80. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.e44">doi:10.1148/rg.e44</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21078815">Pubmed</a>
4. Bateni C, Bartolotta R, Richardson M, Mulcahy H, Allan C. Imaging Key Wrist Ligaments: What the Surgeon Needs the Radiologist to Know. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2013;200(5):1089-95. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.12.9738">doi:10.2214/ajr.12.9738</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23617494">Pubmed</a>
5. Timins M, Jahnke J, Krah S, Erickson S, Carrera G. MR Imaging of the Major Carpal Stabilizing Ligaments: Normal Anatomy and Clinical Examples. Radiographics. 1995;15(3):575-87. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1148/radiographics.15.3.7624564">doi:10.1148/radiographics.15.3.7624564</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7624564">Pubmed</a>
6. Rominger M, Bernreuter W, Kenney P, Lee D. MR Imaging of Anatomy and Tears of Wrist Ligaments. Radiographics. 1993;13(6):1233-46. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1148/radiographics.13.6.8290721">doi:10.1148/radiographics.13.6.8290721</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8290721">Pubmed</a>
1. Berger RA. The anatomy of the ligaments of the wrist and distal radioulnar joints. (2001) Clinical orthopaedics and related research. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/00003086-200102000-00006">doi:10.1097/00003086-200102000-00006</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11210966">Pubmed</a> <span class="ref_v4"></span>
2. Gitto S, Draghi F. Normal Sonographic Anatomy of the Wrist With Emphasis on Assessment of Tendons, Nerves, and Ligaments. (2016) Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. 35 (5): 1081-94. <a href="https://doi.org/10.7863/ultra.15.06105">doi:10.7863/ultra.15.06105</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27036166">Pubmed</a> <span class="ref_v4"></span>
3. Taljanovic MS, Goldberg MR, Sheppard JE, Rogers LF. US of the intrinsic and extrinsic wrist ligaments and triangular fibrocartilage complex--normal anatomy and imaging technique. (2011) Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. 31 (1): e44. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.e44">doi:10.1148/rg.e44</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21078815">Pubmed</a> <span class="ref_v4"></span>
4. Bateni CP, Bartolotta RJ, Richardson ML, Mulcahy H, Allan CH. Imaging key wrist ligaments: what the surgeon needs the radiologist to know. (2013) AJR. American journal of roentgenology. 200 (5): 1089-95. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2214/AJR.12.9738">doi:10.2214/AJR.12.9738</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23617494">Pubmed</a> <span class="ref_v4"></span>
5. Timins ME, Jahnke JP, Krah SF, Erickson SJ, Carrera GF. MR imaging of the major carpal stabilizing ligaments: normal anatomy and clinical examples. (1995) Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. 15 (3): 575-87. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1148/radiographics.15.3.7624564">doi:10.1148/radiographics.15.3.7624564</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7624564">Pubmed</a> <span class="ref_v4"></span>
6. Rominger MB, Bernreuter WK, Kenney PJ, Lee DH. MR imaging of anatomy and tears of wrist ligaments. (1993) Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. 13 (6): 1233-46; discussion 1247-8. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1148/radiographics.13.6.8290721">doi:10.1148/radiographics.13.6.8290721</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8290721">Pubmed</a> <span class="ref_v4"></span>