Shoulder pain: imaging examinations

• Published in: La revue du praticien Vol. 56; no. 14; p. 1539
• Main Authors: Loustau, Olivier, Sans, Nicolas, Despeyroux, Marie-Line, Chiavassa-Gandois, Hélène, Vial, Julie, Railhac, Jean-Jacques
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: French
• Published: France 30.09.2006
• Subjects: Arthritis, Infectious - diagnosis; Arthritis, Infectious - diagnostic imaging; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - diagnostic imaging; Arthrography; Calcinosis - diagnostic imaging; Femur Head Necrosis - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Rotator Cuff - diagnostic imaging; Rotator Cuff Injuries; Rupture; Shoulder Pain - diagnosis; Shoulder Pain - diagnostic imaging; Shoulder Pain - surgery; Tendinopathy - diagnostic imaging; Tendons - diagnostic imaging; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
• ISSN: 0035-2640

Non-traumatic shoulder pain is a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. Usually, the clinical examination is supplemented by nowadays well-defined imaging studies. Radiography is the first examination to be requested on a systematic basis. It always includes several views to study the whole scapular region (glenohumeral joint, subacromial space, acromioclavicular joint etc.). If the radiographic examination is not precise enough, a noninvasive and non-irradiating examination is performed, either ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging. The latter seems to be more comprehensive than ultrasonography. However, the usefulness of the association radiography-ultrasonography should be emphasized: both examinations are perfectly complementary, inexpensive and easy to access. Invasive examinations, such as CT arthrography, are still too often requested following a radiological examination. Since they do not investigate the whole shoulder, they should be limited to the investigation of specific diseases, often as part of presurgical assessments required for or by the orthopedic surgeon.