J. Bernageau et al., MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING FINDINGS IN SHOULDERS OF HEMODIALYZED PATIENTS, Clinical orthopaedics and related research, (304), 1994, pp. 91-96
Twenty two patients (24 shoulders) who had undergone hemodialysis for
a mean of 13.4 years, and who had reported chronic shoulder pain for >
6 months, were examined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including
T1 and T2 echo gradient images in the frontal plane and T1 images aft
er gadolinium. An increase in thickness of the rotator cuff as well as
synovitis and bursitis were documented. Twenty shoulders demonstrated
a mean thickness of 8.05 mm. Most often, the signal intensity of T2 a
nd T1 weighted images was intermediate, and T1 images failed to show a
n uptake of gadolinium. Of the 24 shoulders, 20 had subacromial subdel
toid bursitis and 21 had glenohumeral synovitis. These results indicat
e that MRI is of help in the early diagnosis of arthropathy in long te
rm hemodialyzed patients. Magnetic resonance imaging findings are more
precise than those of ultrasound, particularly for thickness measurem
ents. Moreover, MRI films are easier to read and permit the detection
of synovial involvements. The therapeutic value of MRI lies in the fac
t that it can isolate the two principal causes of shoulder pain in hem
odialyzed patients. The increase in cuff thickness leading to impingem
ent syndrome can be treated by surgical decompression; the synovitis c
an be treated by radioisotope synovectomy.