US appearance of the rotator cable with histologic correlation: preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the ultrasonographic (US) appearance of the rotator cuff cable in asymptomatic shoulders and in cadaveric specimens, with histologic comparison for the latter.


METHODS
The cadaveric portion of this study was approved by the institution's Anatomical Donations Department. Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained from asymptomatic volunteers and clinical patients for the HIPAA-compliant portion of the study. Four fresh cadaveric shoulder specimens (two male subjects, 40 and 50 years old) were dissected, assessed for the presence of the rotator cable, and imaged with 12-MHz US. Histologic slides (hematoxylin-eosin stain) from three resected rotator cuff tendons were inspected for fibers in the expected location and orientation of the rotator cuff cable. The shoulders in 17 asymptomatic volunteers (seven men, two women; age range, 27-66 years; mean, 41 years) and contralateral asymptomatic shoulders in 10 patients (six men, four women; age range, 24-78 years; mean, 49 years) were scanned and evaluated for the presence and appearance of the rotator cable.


RESULTS
The rotator cable was identified at gross dissection. Histologic examination and US of the cadaveric shoulders demonstrated an articular-sided fibrillar structure perpendicular to the rotator cuff tendon (average thickness and width, 1.2 mm and 4.5 mm, respectively). US of asymptomatic shoulders depicted a similar fibrillar structure in three (11%) shoulders up to 1.1-1.5 cm medial to the greater tuberosity (average thickness and width, 1.2 mm and 4.5 mm respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The rotator cable can be depicted with US.
Morag
Yoav
Y
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, TC-B1-1234, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0326, USA.
Jacobson
Jon A
JA
Lucas
David
D
Miller
Bruce
B
Brigido
Monica Kalume
MK
Jamadar
David A
DA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D014463:Ultrasonography