The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm. The proximal ulna is medial to the radius, while the distal ulna is on the lateral side. It extends from the elbow to the wrist.
This specimen of an unidentified species seems to have lumpy, proliferative growths and a rough, uneven surface texture which are signs of bone cancer (possibly osteosarcoma). However, it may also be due to an inflammatory response to an infection, or the healing process of a fracture that may have caused the bone to overgrow during repair. For a professional opinion, further pathological investigation is needed.
It was scanned with an Artec Spider by undergraduate students from the Maastricht Science Programme at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Maastricht University.
Jenkins Jr, F. A. (1973). The functional anatomy and evolution of the mammalian humero‐ulnar articulation. American Journal of Anatomy, 137(3), 281-297. Capasso, L. L. (2005). Antiquity of cancer. International journal of cancer, 113(1), 2-13.
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