MR imaging of the shoulder after surgery

• Published in: American journal of roentgenology (1976) Vol. 168; no. 4; pp. 925 - 928
• Main Authors: Magee, TH, Gaenslen, ES, Seitz, R, Hinson, GA, Wetzel, LH
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Leesburg, VA Am Roentgen Ray Soc 01.04.1997; American Roentgen Ray Society
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Arthroscopy; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Osteoarticular system. Muscles; Pain - etiology; Postoperative Complications - diagnosis; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Recurrence; Reoperation; Rotator Cuff - pathology; Rotator Cuff - surgery; Sensitivity and Specificity; Shoulder Impingement Syndrome - pathology; Shoulder Impingement Syndrome - surgery; Shoulder Joint - pathology; Tendons - pathology; Human; Postoperative; Evaluation; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Incidence; Pain; Surgery; Shoulder; Medical imagery; Complication; Upper limb; Predictive factor; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0361-803X; 1546-3141
• DOI: 10.2214/ajr.168.4.9124141

This study examines the usefulness of MR imaging for assessing patients who have undergone shoulder surgery and have persistent postoperative complaints. Fifty patients with persistent postoperative shoulder pain underwent MR imaging before second-look arthroscopy. The MR imaging findings were correlated with findings at surgery. With surgical findings as the gold standard, we found MR imaging to be 100% sensitive and 87% specific in revealing full- or partial-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears. MR imaging was 84% sensitive and 87% specific in revealing residual impingement. The positive predictive value of MR imaging for diagnosing partial-thickness tears of the supraspinatus tendon was 56%. With this exception, the MR imaging findings correlated well with findings at arthroscopic second-look surgery. In patients who have undergone shoulder surgery, MR imaging is useful in pinpointing disorders and in planning for second-look surgery in patients with persistent postoperative complaints.