Shoulder appearances at MR imaging in long-term dialysis recipients

PURPOSE: To examine shoulder appearances at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in long-term dialysis recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two chronic dialysis recipients underwent 1.0 -T MR imaging with a combination of T1-, T2-, and T2*-weighted sequences. R otator cuff tendon thickening was graded as present or absent by a musculos keletal radiologist, who also measured the supraspinatus and subscapularis tendon thicknesses with electronic calipers. The long-axis dimension and lo cation of focal osseous lesions, in addition to their T1, T2, and T2* signa l intensities, were noted. RESULTS: Supraspinatus (n = 9) and subscapularis (n = 10)tendon thickening was frequently observed. Six (27%) of the 22 patients had combined thickeni ng of the supraspinatus and subscapularis tendons without substantial invol vement of the infraspinatus or teres minor tendons. These patients had unde rgone dialysis longer (median, 19.2 years; range, 16.3-22.8 years) than had the other patients (median, 11.7 years; range, 5.8-19.3 years; P = .004). The 29 intraosseous lesions had high, intermediate, and low T2 signal inten sity in six (21%), nine (31%), and 14 (48%) instances, respectively. CONCLUSION: Supraspinatus and/or subscapularis tendon thickening is common in chronic dialysis recipients. Bone lesions in such patients are of variab le T2 signal intensity and usually subchondral or adjacent to the greater t uberosity.