Scaphoid fracture

This 15-year-old suffered acute pain and swelling in the wrist after a fall on an outstretched arm. Initial x-rays were normal, but this film taken two weeks after the injury demonstrates a fracture line through the middle third of the scaphoid.

This posterior-anterior (PA) view of the wrist is normal. The width of the articular cartilage is 2 mm and is identical to the width of the intercarpal joints.