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Body of distal phalanx of great toe

The body of the distal phalanx of the great toe (hallux) refers to the central elongated portion of the terminal bone of the great toe, situated between the base proximally and the tuft distally. It provides structural support to the tip of the great toe and contributes to weight-bearing, balance, and push-off during gait.

It is an important anatomical structure in foot anatomy, podiatry, trauma evaluation, and forefoot imaging.

Synonyms

  • Shaft of distal phalanx of hallux

  • Body of the terminal phalanx of the great toe

Location

  • Situated at the distal end of the great toe

  • Between the base proximally and the tuft distally

  • Anterior to the distal interphalangeal joint

  • Medial to the second toe

  • Forms the bony core of the great toe tip

Anatomical components

  • Cylindrical osseous shaft

  • Thick cortical bone surrounding cancellous marrow

  • Dorsal surface:

    • Smooth and slightly convex

  • Plantar surface:

    • Roughened for soft tissue and tendon attachment

  • Periosteal covering

Relations

Proximally:

  • Base of the distal phalanx

  • Distal interphalangeal joint

Distally:

  • Tuft of the distal phalanx

Dorsally:

  • Nail bed and nail plate

  • Extensor hallucis longus tendon insertion (nearby)

Plantarly:

  • Flexor hallucis longus tendon insertion (distal aspect)

  • Plantar pulp and soft tissues

Medially and laterally:

  • Digital soft tissues and neurovascular bundles

X-ray appearance

Plain radiographs (AP, oblique, and lateral views):

  • Body: Seen as a straight, dense tubular segment between base and tuft

  • Cortical margins: Smooth and continuous

  • Medullary cavity: Radiolucent center

  • Alignment: Collinear with proximal phalanx

CT appearance

Non-contrast CT:

  • Body: Well-defined cylindrical bony structure

  • Cortical shell: Dense and smooth

  • Trabecular pattern: Fine cancellous bone within

  • Spatial detail: Excellent for cortical integrity and morphology

MRI appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Cortical bone: Low signal intensity

  • Marrow within body: High signal intensity

  • Clear differentiation between cortex and medulla

T2-weighted images:

  • Cortex: Low signal

  • Marrow: Intermediate-to-high signal

  • Surrounding soft tissues: Higher signal than bone

STIR:

  • Marrow fat suppression: Uniform suppression

  • Body margins: Well delineated

  • Soft tissues: High signal

Proton density fat-saturated (PD FS):

  • Bone marrow: Suppressed fat signal

  • Joint fluid (if present): High signal

MRI image

Body of distal phalanx of great toe mri anatomy labelled image-img-00000-00000

CT image

Body of distal phalanx of great toe ct

CT VRT 3D image

Body of distal phalanx of great toe 3d