title: Accuracy of acromioclavicular joint injections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Injection to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint can be both diagnostic and therapeutic.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of in vivo AC joint injections.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series; Level of evidence, 4.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with pain localized to the AC joint were injected with 1 mL of 1% lidocaine and 0.5 mL of radiographic contrast material (Isovue). Radiographs of the AC joint were taken after the injection. Each radiograph was reviewed by a musculoskeletal radiologist and graded as intra-articular, extra-articular, or partially intra-articular.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 30 injections performed, 13 (43.3%) were intra-articular, 7 (23.3%) were partially articular, and 10 (33.3%) were extra-articular. When the intra-articular and the partially articular groups were combined, 20 patients (66.7%) had some contrast dye in the AC joint.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that despite the relatively superficial location of the AC joint, the clinical accuracy of AC joint injections remains relatively low.
authors.affiliation: Winthrop Orthopaedic Associates, Winthrop University Hospital, Garden City, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Bradley R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Wasserman
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pettrone
authors.forename: Laith M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Jazrawi
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rokito
mesh_terms: D000173:Acromioclavicular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007479:Iopamidol; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007479:Iopamidol