Elsevier

Clinical Imaging

Volume 26, Issue 1, January–February 2002, Pages 50-54
Clinical Imaging

Comparison of shoulder ultrasound and MR imaging in diagnosing full-thickness rotator cuff tears

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-7071(01)00323-0Get rights and content

Abstract

Ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 422 cases were evaluated to compare the feasibility in diagnosing full-thickness rotator cuff tears (FTRCTs). On the basis of different US performers, they were divided into two groups: Group 1 performed by a 5-year experience technician and Group 2 performed by a 10-year experience radiologist. Sensitivity, negative predictive value (NPV), accuracy of US, and correlation between the two modalities were better in Group 2. When an expert is available, US can be used for diagnosing FTRCTs; otherwise, MRI should be performed.

Introduction

Imaging diagnosis is important for the management of patients whose symptoms are related to the rotator cuff [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], particularly for the surgeons to initiate an operation plan. Due to technical improvements and advances in the understanding of anatomic and pathologic characteristics of the rotator cuff, ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have gradually replaced the role of arthrography for diagnosing rotator cuff tear during the past decade [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21]. Both methods are now accepted as routine diagnostic regimens [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. However, the decision as to which one is better remains undetermined, and only limited English radiological literatures have compared the two modalities in interpretation of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear (FTRCT). The purpose of the present study is twofold: one is to evaluate the concordance of the two modalities in interpretation of FTRCTs and another is to evaluate their diagnostic performance using surgical findings as gold standard.

Section snippets

Patients

A retrospective search of reports in computer system of our department from July 1996 to October 2000 yielded 506 consecutive patients who underwent both shoulder US and MRI examinations in our hospital. Excluding cases examined for the evaluation of shoulder joint infectious or neoplastic disease and those who had previous shoulder operation, 422 patients remain. Using shoulder surgery after imaging study as an additional criterion, 75 patients were collected. Because a 5-year experienced

Results

The κ value of percentage concordance between MRI and US for interpretation of FTRCTs in Group 1 (Fig. 1) was .35 (P=.065), indicating a fair agreement; that of the Group 2 (Fig. 2) was .97 (P=.012), indicating an almost perfect agreement.

Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, Table 4 list the results of US, MRI, and the corresponding surgical findings of surgically proven patients. There were three FTRCTs undetected by both modalities in Group 1. All of them received surgery at least 80 days after imaging

Discussion

After the first article about the use of US for assessment of rotator cuff in 1979 [11] and that for MRI in 1986 [12], both modalities have gradually replaced the role of arthrography in diagnosing rotator cuff tear [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21]. Both US and MRI carry certain advantages: nonradiative, noninvasive, and as well as offering a multiplanar imaging. However, US examination is economic, time saving, and

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Ms. Chang CH for assistance with manuscript preparation. The study is supported by a grant from Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

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