Role and Correlation of High Resolution Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Evaluation of Patients with Shoulder Pain

BACKGROUND The study aimed to evaluate of the role of high-resolution ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in patients with shoulder pain. MATERIAL/METHODS This prospective study included 50 patients referred for ultrasound and MRI because of shoulder pain. All patients were examined clinically, followed by radiography of the affected shoulder. High-resolution ultrasound examination of the involved shoulder was performed together with an examination of the contralateral normal shoulder, followed by MRI of the symptomatic shoulder in all 50 patients. RESULTS In the present study, the majority of patients were in age group 56-65 years, 56% were males and 44% were females (of a total of 50 patients). A total of 40 patients were diagnosed as having rotator cuff tears on ultrasound (USG) and MRI. USG showed complete-thickness tears in 25 patients and partial-thickness tears in 15 patients. MRI detected 28 complete- and 12 partial-thickness tears of the rotator cuff. In the diagnosis of rotator cuff tears, the strength of agreement between ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging was good (kappa coefficient=0.79). CONCLUSIONS Ultrasonography of the shoulder shows promising results in the diagnosis of rotator cuff tears and in differentiating partial from complete tears. A wide availability, cost effectiveness and better tolerability of ultrasonography make it a modality of first choice for evaluating rotator cuff tears.