Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: diagnosis using magnetic resonance arthrography, with arthroscopic findings as the standard.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography of the glenohumeral joint in the diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis.


METHODS
MR arthrography of the glenohumeral joint was performed in 16 patients with arthroscopically proven adhesive capsulitis and 11 controls. Thickness of the joint capsule and synovium, filling ratio of the fluid-distended axillary recess to the posterior joint cavity, and a width of the rotator cuff interval were measured by 2 musculoskeletal radiologists. The measurements of those parameters for the patients with adhesive capsulitis and the controls were compared. Interobserver variability for the measurements of each parameter was calculated.


RESULTS
The mean thickness of the joint capsule and synovium was 2.97 mm in patients with adhesive capsulitis and 1.86 mm in controls (P < 0.001). The mean filling ratio of the fluid-distended axillary to the posterior joint cavity was 0.51 in patients with adhesive capsulitis and 0.82 in controls (P = 0.004). The mean width of the rotator cuff interval was 7.45 mm in patients with adhesive capsulitis and 8.48 mm in controls (P > 0.05). Intraclass correlation coefficient for interobserver variability showed good agreement (95% CI; 0.72-0.95).


CONCLUSIONS
On MR arthrography, thickening of the joint capsule and synovium and diminished filling ratio of the axillary recess to posterior joint cavity appeared to be useful diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder.
Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Min Hee
MH
Lee
Joong Mo
JM
Ahn
Claus
C
Muhle
Sung Hyun
SH
Kim
Ji Seon
JS
Park
Seung Ho
SH
Kim
Sung Moon
SM
Kim
Heung Sik
HS
Kang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001175:Arthrography / Q000379:methods*; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002062:Bursitis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000473:pathology