Lunate Bone, Posterior View

Description

Positioned in the proximal carpal row, the lunate sits medial to the scaphoid and lateral to the triquetrum, articulating proximally with the distal radius and distally with the capitate at the midcarpal joint. A posterior (dorsal) view emphasizes the lunate’s smooth, narrow dorsal surface and its relationship to the dorsal contours of the carpus. Distal to the carpus, the metacarpals extend toward the digits, with the phalanges aligned in the expected proximal to distal sequence. Orientation matters. Clinically, the dorsal aspect of the lunate is a key landmark when teaching carpal alignment on lateral wrist radiographs, where the distal radius, lunate, and capitate should form a near-colinear axis. Loss of that alignment helps distinguish perilunate dislocation from true lunate dislocation, a difference that drives urgent management and surgical planning. The lunate also anchors discussion of Kienbock disease (avascular necrosis), where subtle changes in lunate height, sclerosis, and collapse correlate with dorsal wrist pain and reduced grip strength in adult patients. Use this asset in upper limb anatomy and orthopaedics teaching materials to support carpal bone identification, proximal versus distal row mechanics, and radiology correlation for trauma patterns involving the lunate. It also fits well in surgical hand texts covering dorsal wrist approaches and carpal instability diagrams, where clear dorsal surface anatomy supports incision planning and hardware orientation. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.