title: The nerves around the shoulder.
abstract: Neuropathies of the shoulder are considered to be entrapment syndromes. They are relatively common, accounting for about 2% of cases of sport-related shoulder pain. Many instances involve suprascapular neuropathy, but the clinical diagnosis is often delayed because of nonspecific symptoms. Classically, EMG is the gold standard investigation but MRI currently reveals muscular abnormality in 50% of cases. Muscle edema, the most characteristic symptom, is nonspecific. In general, the topography of edema, the presence of a lesion compressing the nerve and clinical history contribute to the diagnosis. Although atrophy and fatty degeneration may persist after the disappearance of edema, they are rarely symptomatic. The main differential diagnosis is Parsonage-Turner syndrome. Evidence of a cyst pressing on a nerve may prompt puncture-infiltration guided by ultrasonography or CT-scan.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Imagerie GUILLOZ, CHU Nancy, Nancy 54000, France. alain.blum@gmail.com
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lecocq
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: Johnny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wassel
authors.forename: Andreea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moisei
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000473:pathology*; D012782:Shoulder / Q000294:innervation* / Q000473:pathology*