title: Accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in determining the presence and size of recurrent rotator cuff tears.
abstract: We attempted to assess the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in determining the size of recurrent cuff tears in correlation with size measured at surgery. Thirty-seven shoulders in 33 patients who had reoperation for a presumed failed rotator cuff repair were retrospectively evaluated. All patients had preoperative MRI, the results of which were read by a musculoskeletal radiologist to determine the presence of a tear and to estimate its size. All tears were measured intraoperatively in sagittal and coronal planes. Thirty-three shoulders had recurrent tears of the rotator cuff, and MRI correctly identified the presence of 30 of them. MRI correctly identified only 1 of the 4 patients without a recurrent tear of the cuff. The correlation coefficient for MRI accurately defining the size of cuff tears was 0.46. The sensitivity of MRI for the diagnosis of retear was 91%, and the specificity was 25%. MRI is accurate in diagnosing a recurrent full-thickness cuff tear in postsurgical shoulders. However, it is relatively inaccurate in correctly defining the size of the tear. MRI also has a tendency to overdiagnose cuff tears in postsurgical patients with continued pain and symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation, 181 W. Meadow Drive, Suite 1000, Vail, CO 81657, USA.
authors.forename: Ali R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Motamedi
authors.forename: Luis H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Urrea
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012421:Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*