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BackgroundMany shoulder diseases are related to glenohumeral joint synovitis and effusion. The purpose of the present study is to detect effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath as the sign of glenohumeral joint synovitis using ultrasonography, and to evaluate the clinical meaning of effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath.MethodsA consecutive series of 569 patients who underwent ultrasonography for shoulder pain were reviewed retrospectively and ultimately, 303 patients were included. The authors evaluated the incidence and amount of the effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath on the ultrasonographic short axis view. Furthermore, the authors evaluated the correlation between the amount of effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath and the range of motion and the functional score.ResultsThe effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath was detected in 58.42% of the patients studied: 69.23% in adhesive capsulitis, 56.69% in rotator cuff tear, 41.03% in calcific tendinitis, and 33.33% in biceps tendinitis. The average amount of the effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath was 1.7 ± 1.6 mm, and it was measured to be the largest in adhesive capsulitis. The amount of effusion within biceps long head tendon sheath showed a moderate to high degree of correlation with the range of motion, and a low degree of correlation with the functional score and visual analogue scale for pain in each type of shoulder disease.ConclusionsThe effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath is closely related to the range of motion and clinical scores in patients with painful shoulders. Ultrasonographic detection of the effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath might be a simple and easy method to evaluate shoulder function.