Positive ulnar variance
Last revised by Yvana Toh
on 9 May 2024
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Weerakkody Y, Toh Y, Niknejad M, et al. Positive ulnar variance. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 15 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-20037
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rID:
20037
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Yuranga Weerakkody had no recorded disclosures.
View Yuranga Weerakkody's current disclosures
Last revised:
9 May 2024,
Yvana Toh
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Yvana Toh had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Yvana Toh's current disclosures
Revisions:
12 times, by
12 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Synonyms:
- Positive ulnar variances
Positive ulnar variance describes where the distal articular surface of the ulna is more than 2.5 mm distal to the articular surface of the radius.
It plays important role in wrist pathology such as ulnar impaction syndromes and thinning of the triangular fibrocartilage complex.
Radiographic features
Maximum forearm pronation results in an increase in positive ulnar variance, whereas maximum forearm supination decreases ulnar variance 1.
See also
References
- 1. Cerezal L, del Piñal F, Abascal F, García-Valtuille R, Pereda T, Canga A. Imaging Findings in Ulnar-Sided Wrist Impaction Syndromes. Radiographics. 2002;22(1):105-21. doi:10.1148/radiographics.22.1.g02ja01105 - Pubmed
- 2. DiFiori J, Puffer J, Mandelbaum B, Dorey F. Distal Radial Growth Plate Injury and Positive Ulnar Variance in Nonelite Gymnasts. Am J Sports Med. 1997;25(6):763-8. doi:10.1177/036354659702500607 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Wrist
- Pseudo-Madelung deformity
- Negative ulnar variance
- Ulnar-sided wrist impaction and impingement syndromes
- Wrist radiograph (checklist)
- Causes of abnormal lunate signal on MRI
- Ulnar impaction syndrome
- Kienböck disease
- Madelung deformity
- Gymnast wrist
- Triangular fibrocartilage complex
- Radiocarpal joint
- Ulnar variance
- Ulnar impingement syndrome
Cases:
- Bilateral Madelung deformity
- Proximal radio-ulnar synostosis
- Metacarpal fracture - oblique
- Rheumatoid arthritis of the hand
- Ulnar impaction syndrome
- Rheumatoid arthritis - hands
- Physeal arrest of the distal radius with midcarpal instability
- Ulnar impaction syndrome
- Ulnar impaction syndrome
- Ulnar impaction syndrome
- Ulnar variance (illustration)
- Ulnar impingement with negative ulnar variance
- Bilateral madelung deformity
- Positive ulnar variance
- Pseudo-Madelung deformity - post-trauma
- Bilateral Madelung deformity
- Positive ulnar variance with TFCC tear
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
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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)
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pectoral girdle
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shoulder joint
- articulations
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- joint capsule
- bursae
- ligaments
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- scapulothoracic joint
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glenohumeral joint
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shoulder joint
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elbow joint
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wrist joint
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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
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- joint capsule
- movements
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hand joints
- articulations
- carpometacarpal joint
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metacarpophalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
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interphalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
- movements
- ossification centers
- articulations
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pectoral girdle
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- muscles of the upper limb
- shoulder girdle
- anterior compartment of the arm
- posterior compartment of the arm
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anterior compartment of the forearm
- superficial
- intermediate
- deep
-
posterior compartment of the forearm (extensors)
- superficial
- deep
- muscles of the hand
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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
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Related articles: Wrist pathology
- alignment
- wrist fractures and dislocations
- distal radial fracture
- pediatric
- carpal bones
- Mayfield classification of carpal instability
- carpal instability
- osteonecrosis
- triangular fibrocartilaginous complex (TFCC) injuries
- ulnar-sided wrist impaction and impingement syndromes
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