Ultrasonography and arthrography in rotator cuff lesions: algorithmic approach

ABSTRACT

Twenty-six patients with chief complaint of shoulder pain who underwent both ultrasonographic examination and arthrography of the shoulder were analyzed. Ten out of 12 cases with clinical impression of frozen shoulder, showed normal findings on the ultrasonographic examination of the shoulder. Among these ten cases, nine cases showed abhesive capsulitis and one case showed rotator cuff tear on arthrography. Among six cases with the clinical impression of rotator cuff tear, five cases showed rotator cuff tear and one case showed combined calcific tendinitis and adhesive capsulitis on ultrasonographic examination. In arthrography, four cases of rotator cuff tear, one case of calcific tendinitis and biceps tendinitis and one case of normal findings were diagnosed. For the remaining eight cases in the ultrasonographic examination, normal finding or biceps tendinitis were found and for the remaning of the cases in arthrography adhesive capsulitis were found. With the above results, we recommend that the shoulder ultrasonography as the first line diagnostic modality for a patients with chief complaint of shoulder pain.