Ulnar Variance Determination

Surgical procedures concerning the distal articular surfaces of the radius and ulna, demand an accurate method of measurement of ulnar variance. A new method, which is a modification of the method described by Palmer (1982), is introduced. 100 randomly selected healthy persons were submitted to X-ray of the wrist and the ulnar variance was determined independently by three observers using both methods. By “weighted kappa ” statistics the results, expressed in intra- and interobserver agreement, showed a significantly higher reliability in favour of the Modified method. The accurate measurement of ulnar variance-the radiographic distance between contiguous articular surfaces of the distal radius and ulna-is crucial in various surgical procedures (Sundberg, 1984; Cooney, 1980; Ovesen, 1981). In 1982 Palmer introduced an accurate method of ulnar variance measurement. Studying Kienbock’s disease we intended to compare the ulnar variance in the patient group, with the ulna