The carpal bones of the hand include the scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, and hamate. Each carpal bone has characteristic shapes and articulates with multiple surrounding bones. The scaphoid is boat-shaped and articulates with 5 bones. The lunate is crescent-shaped and located in the center of the proximal row. The triquetrum is triangular in shape and articulates laterally with the lunate and distally with the hamate.

1. ‫الرحمی‬ ‫الرمحن‬ ‫هللا‬ ‫سم‬‫ب‬
Carpal Bones Anatomy
Dr. Mossa Sultany
1398

2. The skeleton of the hand
Carpus
Metacarpus
phalanges

3. The carpus
Proximal row
• Scaphoid
• Lunate
• Triquetrum
• Pisiform
Distal row
• Trapezium
• Trapezoid
• Capitate
• hamate

4. Common characteristics of carpal bone
• Each bone has six surface(excepting pisiform)
• Volar (palmar, ant)
• Dorsal (pos)
• Sup (proximal)
• Inf (distal)
• Lat (outward)
• Med (inward)

5. Scaphoid
 Navicular bone
 Boat shape
 Lateral wrist side
The long axis is directed
downward, lateralward
and forward
 Surface
• 6 surface
sup
Inf
pos
med
ant

6. Scaphoid cont.…
Articulation: with 5 bones
 Proximal (radius)
 Distal (trapezium & trapezoid)
 Medial (capitate & lunate)
ant
Transverse carpal lig
Abductor pollicis
brevis
lat

7. lunate
• Semilunar carpal bone
• Crescent shape
• Centre of proximal row
• Six surface
• Articulates with 5 bone
 sup( radius)
 Inf (capitate and hamate)
 Med(triquetrum)
 lat (scaphoid)
sup
inf lat
med

8. triquetral
• Triquetrum,cunieform or triangular bone
• Distinguished by pyramidal shape and
single oval facet for pisiform
• Medial side of the wrist
sup
ant
inf
med
lat
summit
base

9. Triquetral cont…
Articulation: with 3 bone
• Lateral (lunate)
• Ant (pisiform)
• Inf (hamate)
• TFCC

10. Pisiform
 Smallest carpal bone
 Pea shaped
 On ant plane of carpal bone
 Distinguished by its small size and single
articular facet
 4 surface
 Ant and post
 Lat and med are rough
post ant
Flexor carpi
ulanris
Abductor
digiti quinti
Transverse
carpal lig

11. Trapezium
 Great multangular
 Irregular bone
 Distinguished by deep groove on
volar side
 Distal row on lateral side of the wrist
between scaphoid and 1st metacarpal
 Six surface
Supup/medinf
ant
ant
• Opponens pollicis
• Abductor pollicis
brevis
• Flexor pollicis brevis
• Transverse carpal lig
med

12. Trapezium cont…
 Articulation :articulates with 4 bones
Sup(scaphoid)
Inf (1st metacarpal)
Med(trapezoid and 2nd metacarpal)

13. trapezoid
Lesser multangular
Smallest bone in distal row
Wedge shaped, 4 articular facet, sharp edges sup
inf
pos
ant lat
med

14. Trapezoid cont…
• Articulations : with 4 bones
 sup (scaphoid)
 Inf (2nd metacarpal)
 Med(capitate)
 Lat(trapezium)

15. capitate
The magnum (largest) carpal bone
distal row at center of the wrist
Three portion( head, neck and body)
Six surface
head
body
neck
lat sup
inf
ant
Adductor
pollicis
oblique
med
lat

16. Capitate cont….
Articulation: with 7 bones
Sup(scaphoid and lunate)
Inf (2nd ,3rd and 4th )
Lat(trapezoid)
Med(hamate)

17. Hamate
 Unciform bone
 Distal row on ulnar side
 Wedged shaped (base, apex) and
hook like process on volar side
sup
inf
lat
med

18. Hamate cont….
• Hamulus attachments
 Apex
• Transverse carpal lig
• Flexor carpi ulanris
 Medial
• Flexor digiti brevis
• Opponens digiti brevis
 Lat
• Flexor tendons
apex med lat

19. The four eminence on volar plane
Radial carpal eminence
 Scaphoid tubercle
 Trapezium tubercle
Ulnar carpal eminence
 Hamate hook
 pisiform

20. Reference :
• Anatomy descriptive and surgical (henry gray)