Sonographic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Shoulder Soft Tissue Disorders: Arthrographic Correlation with Empahis on Rotator Cuff Tears

Abstract

Eighty patients having shoulder pain for at least six weeks were evaluated by ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in order to define eligibility of US which is inexpensive and performed in a short time. In 42 patients arthrography was also done to detect full-thickness tears. Binary agreements of US and MRI was significant in revealing rotator cuff tears (kappa=0,25, p<0,05) and biceps tendinopathy (kappa=0,40, p<0,001). Effusion in the subacromial- subdeltoid bursa, biceps, supraspinatus tendon sheath and glenohumeral joint, tendinopathy in supraspinatus were detected by both US and MRI with poor agreement. When results for complete tears were compared with arthrography; MRI showed a sensitivity of %71 and specifity of %69,7 where results for US were %29 and %71.4 respectively. On the basis of this study MRI seems to better than US in depicting rotator cuff tears, but still being inexpensive and easily applied US is recommended to be the first choice for shoulder soft tissue pathologies.