Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of cuff tear and acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) osteoarthrosis by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation in symptomatic shoulders. MRI was performed on 124 shoulders in 115 patients whose age ranged from 16 to 83 years (average: 58.0 years). There were 74 men (79 shoulders) and 41 women (45 shoulders). The patients were divided into three groups according to age; A group (10 shoulders: 16-29 years), B group (43 shoulders: 30-59 years), and C group (71 shoulders: 60-83 years). Rotator cuff tears and ACJ osteoarthrosis were graded on scales 0 to 3 (normal, increased signal intensity, incomplete, complete), and 1 to 4 (none, mild, moderate, severe), respectively. There was a significant difference in the severity of the cuff tears and the ACJ osteoarthrosis with respect to age. 20% of the shoulders were graded incomplete or complete cuff tears in group A, 88% in group B, and 93% in group C. No shoulders were graded moderate or severe ACJ changes in group A, 63% in group B, and 93% in group C. There was a definite correlation between the cuff tears and ACJ osteoarthrosis. MRI of the symptomatic shoulders indicated well correlation between the rotator cuff tears and ACJ osteoarthrosis.
