MRI is one of the most popular diagnostic method in the spinal surgery. Recently MRI has been used as a diagnostic tool for the diseases in bone and joint. However, there are a few reports about the findings of MRI in the disorders of the shoulder joint. In this study, we evaluated the availability on diagnosis with MRI in the shoulder joint disorders.
There were 16 cases (7 males, 9 female) in our study. The mean age was 47.7 years old. Our cases consisted of 10 cases with rotator cuff tear and 6 cases with impingement syndrome.
All of the cases were carried out arthrograpy and/or bursography. And we examined the T1 weighted, T2 weighted sagittal plane and T1 weighted axial plane of MRI, too.
We compared the findings of MRI with the findings of arthrography and bursography, and further more, in some cases with the findings of operation.
In the cases with small rotato cuff tear, T2 weighted sagital plane of MRI demonstrated increased signal in the leion. In the case with massive cuff tear, T1 and T2 sagital plane showed upward displacement of the humeral head and T1 axial plane demonstrated disappeared infraspinatus muscle. In only one case we could not detect cuff tear with MRI.
In the cases with impingement syndrome, T1 sagittal plane showed increased signal in the lesion. There were no significant abnormal findings in two of 6 cases.
Comparing the findings of MRI with the findings of arthrograhy and/or bursography, these of MRI are not prominent than those of others. But, MRI is safer and less invasive than the other.
In the near future, we will be able to diagnose the shoulder joint disorders only with MRI.
