Carpal bones (mnemonic)
Last revised by Adam Eid Ramsey, MD
on 12 Jan 2021
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Ramsey, MD A, Roberts D, Knipe H, et al. Carpal bones (mnemonic). Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Feb 2025) https://radiopaedia.org/articles/9306
DOI:
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rID:
9306
Article created:
3 Apr 2010,
Payal
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Payal had no recorded disclosures.
View Payal's current disclosures
Last revised:
12 Jan 2021,
Adam Eid Ramsey, MD
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Adam Eid Ramsey, MD had no recorded disclosures.
View Adam Eid Ramsey, MD's current disclosures
Revisions:
28 times, by
15 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
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Synonyms:
- Sally Left The Party To Take Cathy Home (mnemonic)
- Sally Lowers Tim's Pants, Then Things Can Happen (mnemonic)
- Some Lovers Try Positions That They Cannot Handle (mnemonic)
Mnemonics of the carpal bones are numerous and useful for memorizing the order and location of the bones.
Some mnemonics name the carpal bones in a circle, starting with the proximal row from the scaphoid towards the pinky (small finger) and then the distal row starting from the hamate towards the thumb:
- So Long To Pinky, Here Comes The Thumb
- Straight Line To Pinky, Here Comes The Thumb
Other mnemonics describe the position of the carpal bones from the radial to the ulnar side, for both rows, proximal then distal:
- Sam Likes To Push, The Toy Car Hard
- Sally Left The Party, To Take Cathy Home
- Some Lovers Try Positions, That They Cannot Handle
- She Likes To Play, Try To Catch Her
Mnemonic
Bones are named related to their shape, which can be additionally useful for identification:
- scaphoid: boat-shaped on frontal view
- lunate: moon/crescent-shaped on lateral view
- triquetrum: triangular
- pisiform: pea-shaped
- hamate: with a hook
- capitate: head-shaped, large and central
- trapezoid and trapezium: table-shaped (four-sided)
Additional mnemonics help distinguish the carpal bones that start with T:
- trapezium is under the thumb (articulating with the first metacarpal)
- trapezoid is inside (surrounded by four other bones)
Incoming Links
Related articles: Anatomy: Upper limb
-
skeleton of the upper limb
- clavicle
- scapula
- humerus
- radius
- ulna
- hand
- accessory ossicles of the upper limb
- accessory ossicles of the shoulder
- accessory ossicles of the elbow
-
accessory ossicles of the wrist (mnemonic)
- os centrale carpi
- os epilunate
- os epitriquetrum
- os styloideum
- os hamuli proprium
- lunula
- os triangulare
- trapezium secondarium
- os paratrapezium
- os radiostyloideum (persistent radial styloid)
- joints of the upper limb
-
pectoral girdle
-
shoulder joint
- articulations
- associated structures
- joint capsule
- bursae
- ligaments
- movements
- scapulothoracic joint
-
glenohumeral joint
- arm flexion
- arm extension
- arm abduction
- arm adduction
- arm internal rotation (medial rotation)
- arm external rotation (lateral rotation)
- circumduction
- arterial supply - scapular anastomosis
- ossification centers
-
shoulder joint
-
elbow joint
- proximal radioulnar joint
- ligaments
- associated structures
- movements
- alignment
- arterial supply - elbow anastomosis
- development
-
wrist joint
- articulations
-
ligaments
- intrinsic ligaments
- extrinsic ligaments
- radioscaphoid ligament
- dorsal intercarpal ligament
- dorsal radiotriquetral ligament
- dorsal radioulnar ligament
- volar radioulnar ligament
- radioscaphocapitate ligament
- long radiolunate ligament
- Vickers ligament
- short radiolunate ligament
- ulnolunate ligament
- ulnotriquetral ligament
- ulnocapitate ligament
- ulnar collateral ligament
- associated structures
- extensor retinaculum
- flexor retinaculum
- joint capsule
- movements
- alignment
- ossification centers
-
hand joints
- articulations
- carpometacarpal joint
-
metacarpophalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
-
interphalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
- movements
- ossification centers
- articulations
-
pectoral girdle
- spaces of the upper limb
- muscles of the upper limb
- shoulder girdle
- anterior compartment of the arm
- posterior compartment of the arm
-
anterior compartment of the forearm
- superficial
- intermediate
- deep
-
posterior compartment of the forearm (extensors)
- superficial
- deep
- muscles of the hand
-
accessory muscles
- elbow
- volar wrist midline
- palmaris longus profundus
- aberrant palmaris longus
- volar wrist radial-side
- accessory flexor digitorum superficialis indicis
- flexor indicis profundus
- flexor carpi radialis vel profundus
- accessory head of the flexor pollicis longus (Gantzer muscle, common)
- volar wrist ulnar-side
- dorsal wrist
- blood supply to the upper limb
-
arteries
- subclavian artery (mnemonic)
- axillary artery
- brachial artery (proximal portion)
- ulnar artery
- radial artery
- veins
-
arteries
- innervation of the upper limb
- intercostobrachial nerve
-
brachial plexus (mnemonic)
- branches from the roots
- branches from the trunks
- branches from the cords
- lateral cord
- posterior cord
- medial cord
- terminal branches
- lymphatic drainage of the upper limb
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