US depiction of partial-thickness tear of the rotator cuff.
OBJECTIVE
To test previously defined ultrasound (US) criteria for identification of partial-thickness tears of the rotator cuff.


METHODS
Before shoulder arthroscopy, 52 patients with shoulder pain for more than 3 months were examined with a 7.5-MHz commercially available linear-array transducer and a standardized study protocol. The criteria used to detect partial-thickness tears were (a) a mixed hyper- and hypoechoic focus in the crucial zone of the supraspinatus tendon and (b) a hypoechoic lesion visualized in two orthogonal imaging planes with either articular or bursal extension.


RESULTS
The US findings were reported as partial-thickness tears in 17 shoulders, of which three were false-positive findings. There was one false-negative finding. The sensitivity of US in depiction of partial-thickness tears was 93%, and specificity was 94%. The positive predictive value was 82%, and the negative predictive value was 98%.


CONCLUSIONS
US can depict most partial-thickness tears with use of the criteria described.
D000174:Acromion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001182:Arthroscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012399:Rotation; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography