Diagnosis of rotator cuff tears: Correlation of clinical and MRI with intraoperative findings.

The diagnosis of rotator cuff tears may be based on clinical examination an d MRI. The aim of this study was to define the relative value of these meth ods. Clinical and MRI diagnoses of 88 shoulders were compared with the intr aoperative findings. The correct diagnosis of a posterosuperior rotator cuf f rupture was made in 79% of the cases by clinical examination and in 91% o f the cases by MRI. For the subscapularis tendon clinical examination corre sponded to the intraoperative findings in 73% of the cases versus 59% for M RI. MRI was superior to clinical examination in diagnosing a posterosuperio r rotator cuff rupture. For the evaluation of ruptures of the subscapularis tendon, clinical examination was more reliable than MRI. Diagnosis of rota tor cuff rupture can most often be obtained by a simple physical examinatio n.