Role of Ultrasound in the Detection of Rotator-Cuff Syndrome: An Observational Study

Abstract

Background Physical tests are usually preferred to assess rotator-cuff syndrome but are insufficient to predict the morphology and size of the rotator-cuff. The objective of the study was to rate the ultrasound findings for patients with sudden shoulder pain and to determine potential predictors of the same. Material/Methods A total of 112 patients with sudden shoulder pain with rotator-cuff syndrome, suspected by orthopedic doctors, were subjected to ultrasonography. Real-time ultrasonography was done for the acromioclavicular joint, biceps, infraspinatus, posterior labrum, subscapularis, supraspinatus, teres minor tendon, and the sub-acromial-subdeltoid bursa. Each tendon was assessed via scanning planes in orientation as per longer and shorter axis, and from their myotendinous junction shoulder to bony insertions. Linear and logistic regression analysis were performed to predict the associations of medical history with rotator-cuff injury. Results Ultrasonography identified that 82% of the enrolled patients had at least one particular cause of the rotator-cuff disorder. Among the rotator-cuff disorders, calcific tendonitis (54%) was observed more frequently followed by tendinopathy (32%), subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis (22%), and partial thickness tear (21%). Also, 46 patients (41%) had multiple findings. Older age (older than 40 years) was a strong predicting factor of rotator-cuff disorder (r 2 =0.36, P =0.0004). Conclusions Ultrasonography is a vital diagnostic procedure used by orthopedic surgeons for diagnosis of the rotator-cuff disorder(s) in patients with sudden shoulder pain.

The Ultrasonographic Features of Shoulder Pain Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in South China

“…In the study conducted by Tran et al, the occurrence rate of subacromial bursitis is 68% in shoulder pain patients [2]. In this study, the occurrence rate of subacromial bursitis was 59.5%, which was significantly lower than the percentage reported by Tran et al A possible explanation is that subacromial bursitis is caused by repetitive overhead activities [22]. Similar to subcoracoid bursitis, lifestyle differences may be the cause of this rate difference in our study.…”

Comprehensive supervised heavy training program versus home training regimen in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome: a randomized trial

“…Ultrasonography at entrance, revealed edema, partial lesions or pathological findings in the supraspinatus tendon in all but 15 participants in each group. These 15 participants may well have had a rotator cuff problem anyway, as ultrasonography, despite its usefulness in shoulder pathology, can show normal findings in patients with a clinical rotator syndrome [ 58 ]. We therefore believe, that the risk of having included patients with different pathologies is small.…”

Arthroscopic Ultrasound-Guided Needling: An Effective Technique for the Treatment of Calcific Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy

“…Ultrasonography as well as radiography 3 are essential for the preoperative assessment of calcification resections. 4 However, reinterpretation of the radiologist’s images by the surgeon 5 , 6 remains difficult 7 and may result in a loss of information. Conventional intraoperative assessment is sometimes complex, long, or even impossible.…”