Radial osteotomy for Kienböck's disease evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging: 24 cases followed for 1–3 years

24 patients with Kienböck's disease were followed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for 1-3 years. 9 patients were treated with radial shortening, 10 with radial wedge osteotomy and 5 patients were treated non-operatively. Signal intensity of the lunate on T1-weighted or T2-weighted images increased postoperatively in all operated on patients, and normal or near-normal signal intensity was observed in 9 patients on T1-weighted images and in 15 patients on T2-weighted images postoperatively. Signal intensity did not increase in any patient treated non-operatively. The postoperative increase in signal intensity on MRI following radial shortening and radial wedge osteotomy presumably is due to revascularization of the lunate.