A Prospective Comparative Study of High Resolution Ultrasound and MRI in the Diagnosis of Rotator Cuff Tears

ABSTRACT

Aim: Comparing the role and finding sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography with that of conventional MRI techniques in patients presenting with rotator cuff injury. Methods: 50 patients who presented with shoulder pain and/or disability and clinically suspected rotator cuff tears in orthopedic out patient department (OPD) of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar, referred to department of Radiodiagnosis and imaging for ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. Results: USG shows sensitivity of 83.7%,specificity of 100%,PPV of 100% and NPV of 68.4% for partial thickness tear and 100% sensitivity,specificity ,PPV and NPV in complete thickness tear. The strength of agreement between USG and MRI for diagnosis of rotator cuff tear was found to be (k= 1.0) for full thickness tears (very good agreement) and good agreement for partial thickness tears. Conclusions: From our study, USG is proven to be an effective imaging modality with results comparable with MRI in patients presenting with shoulder pain and /or disability and clinically suspected case of rotator cuff tendon tears.ultrasound by an experienced radiologist should be considered as a primary diagnostic tool for imaging the rotator cuff pathologies. At present, MRI can be reserved for patients with suspicious USG results.