ISOLATED SUBACROMIAL BURSAL FLUID ON MRI OF THE SHOULDER IN SYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS - CORRELATION WITH ARTHROSCOPIC FINDINGS

Fluid in the subacromial bursa (SAB) is a common finding on magnetic r esonance (MR) images of the shoulder, and the implications of this fin ding have not been clarified. We retrospectively reviewed and correlat ed the MR features with arthroscopic findings in 21 symptomatic patien ts who had fluid in the SAB on MR imaging without demonstrable rotator cuff tear. Rotator cuff impingement was the most frequent surgical fi nding (42.9%). Other frequent surgical observations were glenoid labru m abnormality (28.6%), bursitis (19%), and supraspinatus tendinitis (1 4.3%). Distribution of acromial types was similar to that reported by Bigliani et al., and impingement was evenly distributed among acromial types in our study population. We conclude that in our patient popula tion group the MR finding of isolated SAB fluid in symptomatic patient s is highly likely to be associated with the finding of other abnormal ities in the shoulder joint at surgery.