OBJECTIVE To compare the accuracy between a three-dimensional (3D) indirect isotropic T1-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE) magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography and a conventional two-dimensional (2D) T1-weighted sequences of indirect MR arthrography for diagnosing rotator cuff tears. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was approved by our Institutional Review Board. In total, 205 patients who had und...

Introduction Historically, subscapularis tears were thought to be very low in prevalence. However, arthroscopic studies in patients with rotator cuff pathology have shown the prevalence to be between 27 and 43%. Subscapularis tears have been reported to be associated with rotator cuff pathology in 27 to 35% of cases. As subscapularis tears are now being recognized to be more common than previou...

Isolated popliteomeniscal fascicle tears are often unrecognized and misdiagnosed. Patients typically have vague symptoms and often-normal magnetic resonance imaging and physical examination findings. Isolated injuries are often misdiagnosed and mistreated, leading to delayed surgical treatment. Unrecognized tears can lead to continued disability, lateral meniscus tears, and chondral lesions. Ap...

BACKGROUND Appropriate treatment for anterior cruciate ligament laxity, owing to partial tears of the native ligament or lax reconstruction, is unclear. Studies suggest that a significant percentage of these untreated tears may progress to complete tears or the patient may develop additional injuries to the meniscus or articular cartilage. Shrinkage of the ligament or graft using thermal energy...

BACKGROUND Current evaluation of muscle fatty infiltration has been limited by subjective classifications. Quantitative fat evaluation through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may allow for an improved longitudinal evaluation of the effect of surgical repair on the progression of fatty infiltration. HYPOTHESES We hypothesized that (1) patients with isolated full-thickness supraspinatus tendon...

BACKGROUND Meniscal root tears cause menisci and their insertions to inadequately distribute loads and potentially leave underlying articular cartilage unprotected. Untreated meniscal root tears are becoming increasingly recognized to induce joint degradation; however, little information is known about anterior meniscal root tears and how they affect joint tissue. PURPOSE To observe the early...

You are attending a continuing education seminar and a colleague tells you about a new orthopedic test for evaluating meniscal tears in the knee. The colleague explains that this orthopedic test, called the Thessaly test, is “great” at evaluating meniscal tears and suggests that you begin using it. At this point, you may wonder just how great the Thessaly Test is for diagnosing meniscal tears a...

Rotator cuff tear size has an important effect on clinical outcomes after repair. Management options for massive rotator cuff tears are numerous, and selection of the most appropriate treatment method for individual patients can be a challenge. An understanding of the pathomechanics, treatment, and clinical outcomes in patients with massive rotator cuff tears can serve as a guide for clinical d...

BACKGROUND In the case of rotator cuff tears, the biceps pulley can be stressed by the unstable biceps tendon, and this can subsequently affect the stability of the subscapularis tendon. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between normal variations and lesions of the biceps pulley that affect anterosuperior lesions in cases of rotator cuff tears. METHODS From January 2002 through Novemb...

Objective: Few investigators have evaluated whether ultrasonography operated by a surgeon during a patient’s clinic visit is capable of obtaining a similar degree of accuracy as magnetic resonance imaging in regard to the diagnosis of rotator cuff tears and lesions of the biceps tendon. The purpose of this study was to clarify the accuracy of in-office ultrasonography for the diagnosis of rotat...