MR-IMAGING OF THE ROTATOR CUFF - PERITENDINOUS AND BONE ABNORMALITIESIN AN ASYMPTOMATIC POPULATION

OBJECTIVE. MR imaging of the shoulder was performed in an asymptomatic population to determine the prevalence of MB-evident peritendinous an d bone abnormalities, Findings were correlated with subject age and ro tator cuff abnormalities. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Dual-echo T2-weighted oblique coronal MR images of the shoulder were evaluated for 100 asymp tomatic volunteers who were 19-88 years old, Twenty symptomatic patien ts with arthroscopic correlation were included as controls, Images wer e assessed independently by two reviewers with no knowledge of subject history or symptomatology, Bursal, peribursal, and bone findings were correlated with subject age and the appearance of the rotator cuff te ndon. RESULTS. Changes characteristic of acromioclavicular joint osteo arthrosis were present in three fourths of the shoulders. One third ha d subacromial spurs, Changes in the peribursal fat plane and the prese nce of fluid in the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa paralleled the degree of MR-evident rotator cuff abnormalities, Joint fluid was observed in nearly all subjects. CONCLUSION. Our findings reveal a high prevalenc e of MB-evident bone and peritendinous shoulder abnormalities among as ymptomatic individuals. The prevalence of subacromial spurs and humera l head cysts correlated closely with the severity of MR-evident rotato r cuff abnormalities, as did changes in the bursa and peribursal fat, Acromioclavicular joint osteoarthrosis is seen in many shoulders indep endently of rotator cuff disease; therefore, its presence alone does n ot appear to be a reliable indicator of pain or tendon disease.