2011 Volume 35 Issue 3 Pages 961-963
Shoulder pain and injuries are common in athletes. MRI is well suited to evaluate soft tissue of the shoulder and plays an important role for screening. The purpose of this study was to evaluate findings of non-contrast MR images in athletes who were treated for anterosuperior corner injury (SLAP lesion, middle glenohumeral ligament (MGHL) injury, etc) confirmed at arthroscopy.
We treated 21 athletes, (16 men, 5 women) with a clinical diagnosis of SLAP lesion and tear or elongation of MGHL, using suture anchor from 2008 to 2010. In this study, preoperative non-contrast MR images of these patients were reviewed retrospectively. The evaluation of rotator cuff , and long head of the biceps brachii (LHB) were included in the assessment of images. The mean age of subjects was 26.3 years old ranging from 17 to 41. Acute traumatic cases were excluded in the present study. High signal intensity of T1-weighted images was demonstrated around the rotator interval in 19 cases (90.5%). In addition, High signal intensity of T2-weighted images was found in 16 cases (76.2%) at the same area.
Signal intensity of MR images at the anterosuperior corner may show some correlation with the injury of MGHL, SLAP lesion, the inflammation or tear of anterior-superior capsule and the synovium of the rotator interval. Additional work is necessary to further define objective radiographic evidence.
