ABNORMAL SYNOVIUM IN THE FROZEN SHOULDER - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT WITH DYNAMIC MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

We studied 16 patients (18 shoulders) with frozen shoulders, 8 patient s with subacromial impingement syndrome, and 3 healthy volunteers with dynamic magnetic resonance imaging enhanced with gadolinium diethylen etriaminepentaacetic acid. After intravenous contrast was administered , gradient-recalled echo images were obtained in the oblique coronal p lane every 11 to 13 seconds for a total period of 4 to 5 minutes. The signal intensity was measured at the periphery of the glenohumeral joi nt and in the subacromial bursa. The coefficient of enhancement (perce nt signal increase per second) in the Frozen shoulders was 1.33 +/- 0. 43 (mean +/- SD) for the glenohumeral joint and 0.89 +/- 0.47 for the subacromial bursa. These values were Far greater than those in subacro mial impingement syndrome or in the control group, indicating increase d blood flow to the synovium in the frozen shoulders. No previous repo rts have shown a clinical measure related to the pathophysiology of th is disease.