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Geometric properties of the second metacarpal

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Abstract

The lengths, external volumes and weights of 45 clean, dry, second metacarpals were determined. The midshaft total and medullary widths were measured on postero-anterior radiographs. The cortical volume, external volume and ash weight of a 1 cm length of the shaft of each bone were also measured. From the morphometric measurements estimators of the geometric and densitometric properties of the midshaft section and of the whole bone were computed. Some estimators of the geometric properties were derived on the assumption that the metacarpal shaft is a cylinder. The relationships between the estimators and the geometric and densitometric properties themselves were examined and the validity of the cylinder model was explored.

Résumé

Les longueurs, les volumes extérieurs et les poids de 45 seconds métacarpes, déssèchés et nettoyés, sont déterminés. Les largeurs totales et médullaires de la diaphyse sont mesurées sur des radiographies antéro-postérieurs. le volume cortical, le volume externe et le poids de cendres de la diaphyse, d'une longueur de 1 cm, sont aussi déterminés. A partir des mesures morphométriques, les estimations des propriétés géométriques et densitométriques de la diaphyse et de l'os total sont analysées. Quelques estimations des propriétés géométriques ont pu être étudiées en estiamnt que la diaphyse du métacarpe est un cylindre. Les rapports entre les estimations et les propriétés géométriques et densitométriques sont envisagés et l'exactitude d'un modèle cylindrique est évaluée.

Zusammenfassung

Länge, äußerer Umfang und Gewicht von 45 sauberen, trockenen zweiten Metacarpalknochen wurden bestimmt. Die totale Breite und die Markhöhlenbreite des mittleren Schaftes wurden mit posterior-anterioren Röntgenaufnahmen gemessen. Corticaler und äußerer Umfang und Aschgewicht eines 1 cm langen Stückes vom Schaft jedes Knochens wurden ebenfalls gemessen. Mittels morphometrischer Messungen wurden Schätzungen der geometrischen und densitometrischen Eigenschaften der Mittelschaftregion und des ganzen Knochens berechnet. Einige Schätzungen der geometrischen Eigenschaften wurden abgeleitet unter der Annahme, daß der metacarpale Schaft ein Zylinder ist. Die Beziehungen zwischen den Schätzungen und den geometrischen und densitometrischen Eigenschaften selbst wurden untersucht, und die Gültigkeit des Zylindermodelles wurde geprüft.

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Horsman, A., Kirby, P.A. Geometric properties of the second metacarpal. Calc. Tis Res. 10, 289–301 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02012560

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