The Radiological Prevalence of Incidental Kienböck Disease.

BACKGROUND To determine the prevalence of incidental Kienböck disease. METHODS A retrospective analysis of 150,912 radiological reports or images obtained over a five year period was performed of 76,174 patients who underwent a radiograph or computed tomography scan which included the wrist, in Edinburgh and Lothian, UK. RESULTS There were 5 cases of incidental Kienböck disease and 13 cases of symptomatic Kienböck disease. There were no significant differences in age, sex, ethnicity, comorbidities, smoking status, excess alcohol use or Lichtman stage between the incidental and symptomatic Kienböck groups. CONCLUSION The radiological prevalence of incidental Kienböck disease was 0.0066% or 7 in 100,000 patients.