title: Rotator cuff tear: clinical experience with sonographic detection.
abstract: Between June 1986 and April 1988, 86 sonographic examinations of the shoulder were performed on patients suspected of having rotator cuff tears. Major sonographic diagnostic criteria included (a) a well-defined discontinuity usually visible as a hypoechoic focus within the cuff, (b) nonvisualization of the cuff and (c) an echogenic focus within the cuff. Seventy-five patients underwent both sonography and arthrography. Compared with arthrography alone, ultrasound examinations enabled detection of 92% of rotator cuff tears (24 of 26 tears), with a specificity of 84% and a negative predictive value of 95%. Correlation was obtained in 30 of these patients who underwent surgery for rotator cuff tear or other soft-tissue abnormality. In this group, the sensitivity of sonography for detection of a tear was 93%, with a specificity of 73%, while for arthrography sensitivity was 87% and specificity was 100%. These data indicate that sonography is a useful, noninvasive screening procedure for patients suspected of having rotator cuff injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Bridgeport Hospital, CT 06610.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Soble
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Guay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000473:pathology; D013708:Tendon Injuries; D013710:Tendons / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography