Rim-rent tear of the rotator cuff: a common and easily overlooked partial tear.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of rim-rent rotator cuff tears in a population of patients referred for shoulder MRI and to determine the sensitivity of MRI for the detection of these tears.


CONCLUSIONS
Rim-rent tears are a common type of partial-thickness rotator cuff tear, much more commonly present than has been previously reported. In particular, infraspinatus rim-rent tears are more common than previously believed. Rim-rent tears of the infraspinatus tendon and those involving the anterior-most fibers of the supraspinatus tendon are commonly overlooked on MRI, possibly because of failure to appreciate the high incidence of these types of tears and failure to inspect the anterior-most fibers of the rotator cuff.
Vinson
Emily N
EN
Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3808, Durham, NC 27710, USA. vinso003@mc.duke.edu
Helms
Clyde A
CA
Higgins
Laurence D
LD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000473:pathology*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012421:Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*