抄録
Background: The precise composition of calcific deposits in chronic calcified tendinitis of the shoulder is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to analyze the deposits using the multi-slice computed tomography scans (CT scan) of the chronic calcified tendinitis of the shoulder.
Methods: 109 patients (30 males and 79 females, 115 shoulders) who suffered from shoulder pain due to calcification for more than 6 months were enrolled in this study. The mean age of the patients was 55.2 years. All the patients underwent multi-slice CT scan before treatment in this study. A retrospective analysis of the number of calcifications, size of calcification, distance from skin-to-calcification, location of calcification and mean density of calcification (Hounsfield unit: HU) were evaluated.
Results: The mean calcification size was 52.6 mm2 , mean calcification density was 753.2HU and distance from skin-to-calcification was 17.5mm. Calcification was located in the border of anterior and middle facet in 89.6% of the cases.
Discussion: Multi-slice CT scans have recently been reported for being used for characterization of coronary plaque and renal stones. Furthermore, it is known that CT values of the uric acid calculi showed CT values about 309 HU and the calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate showed about 160 HU. Our data suggested that calcification of chronic calcified tendinitis had higher calcification density than calcium pyrophosphate and sodium urate. Our study showed that multi-slice CT scans were useful to identify the composition of calcific deposits, the size and the location of chronic calcified tendinitis of the shoulder.
