Normal disruption of carpal arcs. Radiology, in press. The wrist is a complex structure that is subject to chronic pain from a variety of causes. It poses a common clinical problem, both in and outside of the work place, and presents a major challenge to diagnosis and treatment. Many diagnostic imaging techniques are available and various algorithms are offered for their use.
Treatments vary and the outcome is also quite variable.
Indeed, many abnormal findings in the wrist may be asymptomatic and indeed not significant. Due to a shared interest in imaging of the wrist, Dr. Gilula's research group has developed a large center for referral patients with wrist pain problems where patients are sent from hand surgeons throughout the metropolitan St. Louis area and other surrounding cities. This provides a large volume of patient material on which studies can be performed to try to answer problems with respect to evaluation of recommended approaches to work up patients with various types of wrist pain and also to determine patient outcome as related to different types of treatments. Currently work is directed toward identifying the role of wrist arthrography in the patients with wrist pain. This procedure seems to be valuable in decision making for physicians.