The scaphoid bone is also known as which bone?

• A. Navicular bone
• B. Cuboid bone
• C. Pisiform bone
• D. Trapezoid bone

Answer: (B)

In wrist anatomy, the scaphoid bone has an alternate name: the navicular bone. This reflects historical naming, and in many texts the same bone is referred to as the navicular. The scaphoid sits on the thumb side of the proximal carpal row and has a boat-like shape, which is the origin of its name and why some anatomists use navicular as its synonym. It’s good to note that the navicular term also appears for a different bone in the foot, so context matters; in the wrist, navicular refers to the scaphoid. The other bones listed are distinct: the cuboid is a foot bone, and the pisiform and trapezoid are other carpal bones in different locations within the wrist.