Evaluation of supraspinatus muscle tears by ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging in comparison with surgical findings

ObjectiveTo evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluating suspected supraspinatus muscle injury compared with surgery.Subjects and methodsOne hundred patients underwent both US and MRI for their shoulders due to shoulder pain. Forty patients with non-improved symptoms underwent surgical exploration. We compared the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of US and MRI for detection of supraspinatus pathology, using surgical findings as ‘gold standard’.ResultsStudy included 40 patients (27 men and 13 women, age range from 20 to 68 years). US had sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 92.3%, 92.6% and 92.5%, respectively in diagnosing partial thickness tears (PTT); 92.6%, 94% and 95%, respectively in diagnosing full thickness tears (FTT). MRI had sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 84.6%, 92.6% and 90%, respectively in diagnosing partial thickness tears (PTT); 100%, 88.2% and 95%, respectively in diagnosing full thickness tears (FTT). There was no statistically significant difference between the two techniques on one hand and surgery on the other hand in detecting both PTT and FTT.ConclusionUS and MRI yield high sensitivity, diagnostic accuracy in detecting FTT. Regarding PTT rotator cuff tears both tests were less sensitive.