Lunate bone

Recommended video: Carpal bones [14:11]

The eight bones of the wrist, known as the carpal bones, and related bony landmarks.

The lunate bone is one of the eight carpal bones. Its name is derived from the word luna in Latin which stands for "crescent-shaped" or "moon". The lunate bone is found in the center of the proximal row of the carpal bones between the scaphoid and triquetrum bones. 

The articulation between the lunate bone and the scaphoid and triquetrum is stabilized by the scapholunate ligament and the lunotriquetral ligament, respectively.

The lunate articulates with five bones:

• the head of the radius and the articular disc of the distal radioulnar joint proximally,
• the capitate and hamate distally,
• the scaphoid laterally and
• the triquetrum medially.

As one of the carpal bones found in the proximal row, it is involved in movement of the wrist.