Anatomical snuff box

Last revised by Yuranga Weerakkody on 10 Nov 2022

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Knipe H, Weerakkody Y, Kang O, et al. Anatomical snuff box. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 02 Dec 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-22107

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-22107

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/22107

rID:

22107

Article created:

12 Mar 2013, Henry Knipe ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.

View Henry Knipe's current disclosures

Last revised:

10 Nov 2022, Yuranga Weerakkody ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Yuranga Weerakkody had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Yuranga Weerakkody's current disclosures

Revisions:

14 times, by 9 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Musculoskeletal

Sections:

Anatomy

Tags:

wrist, surface anatomy, refs, cases

Synonyms:

Anatomical snuffbox
Tabatiere
Tabatiere anatomique
Fovea radialis of wrist

The anatomical snuff box (or sometimes known as tabatiere or fovea radialis of wrist) is a surface anatomy feature. It appears as a triangular depression on the lateral surface of the wrist on full extension of the thumb.

Gross anatomy

Boundaries

medial: tendons of the extensor pollicis longus
lateral: tendons of the
- extensor pollicis brevis
- and more laterally abductor pollicis longus
floor
- scaphoid, trapezium bones
- tendons of the extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis
- base of 1^st metacarpal can be palpated distally and the radial styloid process can be palpated proximally

radial artery
superficial branch of the radial nerve
cephalic vein (variable)

History and etymology

In the days when snuff use was popular, the user would place a small amount of snuff from the container into the "anatomical" snuff box (as opposed to the physical snuff box which he carried around in his pocket, hence "anatomical" ), close one nostril with an index finger and sniff the snuff up the open nostril. It was common practice to offer snuff to those in your company.