Articles

Cases

Courses

Positive metacarpal sign

Last revised by Rania Adel Anan on 16 Aug 2023

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Gaillard F, Anan R, Campos A, et al. Positive metacarpal sign. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 06 Oct 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-1666

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-1666

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/1666

rID:

1666

Article created:

2 May 2008, Frank Gaillard ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Frank Gaillard had no recorded disclosures.

View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures

Last revised:

16 Aug 2023, Rania Adel Anan ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Rania Adel Anan had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Rania Adel Anan's current disclosures

Revisions:

9 times, by 7 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Musculoskeletal

Sections:

Signs

Tags:

musculoskeletal, signs, metacarpal, hand

Synonyms:

4th metacarpal bone sign
Metacarpal sign

In the metacarpal sign, a line drawn along the heads of the 4^th and 5^th metacarpals will intersect the head of the 3^rd metacarpal if shortening is present. The shortened 4^th metacarpal is the key to the sign.

The sign is positive in up to 9.6% of normal individuals ³. It is however seen in a variety of conditions.

For a gamut of this sign see: short 4^th/5^th metacarpal.

References

Incoming Links

Promoted articles (advertising)

{"current_user":null,"inclusions":[{"imageId":2686617,"studyId":20691,"caseSlug":"positive-metacarpal-sign","caption":" Case 1 : positive metacarpal sign","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/2686617/44d896ef673a5cb39402d41e25eed7_big_gallery.jpg"},{"imageId":137951,"studyId":8402,"caseSlug":"turner-syndrome-hand","caption":"Case 2 : positive metacarpal sign - Turner syndrome","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/137951/b36b3c0e76fe0dac6ae90085d0ac7a_big_gallery.jpg"},{"imageId":1049,"studyId":8399,"caseSlug":"short-4th-and-5th-metacarpals","caption":"Case 3 : positive metacarpal sign","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/1049/9b79a3f9de56943d1195cc089032f0_big_gallery.jpeg"},{"imageId":55202595,"studyId":107603,"caseSlug":"brachymetacarpia-2","caption":"Case 4: Turner syndrome","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/55202595/k2_big_gallery.jpeg"},{"imageId":55657523,"studyId":109226,"caseSlug":"positive-metacarpal-sign-1","caption":"Case 5","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/55657523/IMG_20210811_125438_big_gallery.jpeg"},{"imageId":63161899,"studyId":140086,"caseSlug":"turner-syndrome-short-fourth-and-fifth-metacarpals-brachydactyly-clinodactyly-1","caption":"Case 6: Turner syndrome ","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/63161899/148c218992a91f750c6a4e4044435ccf7f017ca87d3bc3997fc786f145d98544_big_gallery.jpeg"}],"ddx_inclusions":[{"imageId":744,"studyId":37506,"caseSlug":"negative-metacarpal-sign","caption":"Negative metacarpal sign","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"not_applicable","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/744/f5f0a71c4cc68c9a522e9d257b1f85_big_gallery.jpeg"}],"lang":"us"}

Updating… Please wait.

Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.

Thank you for updating your details.