ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of MR arthrography and ultrasonography in evaluating shoulder pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subject group consisted of all patients who visited our institute complaining of shoulder pain or instability from June 2002 to December 2004. There were a total of 92 patients with a mean age of 48. On the basis of arthroscopic results, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ultrasonography and MR arthrography were evaluated by comparing them with each other. RESULTS: In the diagnosis of supraspinatus tendon tears, ultrasonography had sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 64%, respectively, whereas MR arthrography had sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 94%, respectively. Ultrasonography also had high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of subscapularis tendon tears (100% and 90%). MR arthrography was appropriate for identifying glenoid labral abnormalities (sensitivity, 95% and specificity, 61%). Similar results from ultrasonography and MR arthrography were obtained in the diagnosis of subscapular tendon tears or full-thickness tears of the rotator cuff tendons (kappa value, 0.644 and 0.911). CONCLUSION: While evaluating rotator cuff abnormalities, ultrasonography was appropriate for screening, whereas MR arthrography was useful to confirm the results of the ultrasonography.