The third metacarpal bone (metacarpal bone of the middle finger) is a little smaller than the second.
The dorsal aspect of its base presents on its radial side a pyramidal eminence, the styloid process, which extends upward behind the capitate; immediately distal to this is a rough surface for the attachment of the extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle.
The carpal articular facet is concave behind, flat in front, and articulates with the capitate.
On the radial side is a smooth, concave facet for articulation with the second metacarpal, and on the ulnar side two small oval facets for the fourth metacarpal.
Ossification
The ossification process begins in the shaft during prenatal life, and in the head between the 11th and 27th months.1
Additional images
See also
- Metacarpus
- First metacarpal bone
- Second metacarpal bone
- Fourth metacarpal bone
- Fifth metacarpal bone
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 228 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Third metacarpal bone.References
Balachandran, Ajay; Anooj Krishna; Moumitha Kartha; Libu G. K.; Liza John; Krishnan B (30 December 2013). "A Study of Ossification of heads of 2nd to 5th Metacarpals in Forensic Age Estimation in the Kerala Population" (PDF). Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences. 2 (52): 10165–10171. doi:10.14260/jemds/1751. Retrieved 26 December 2013. http://www.jemds.com/data_pdf/dr%20ajay%20balachandran.pdf ↩