title: Rotator cable: MRI study of its appearance in the intact rotator cuff with anatomic and histologic correlation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to define and correlate the appearance of the rotator cable on MRI with arthroscopy, band-saw cadaveric sections, and histology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two cadaveric shoulders underwent 3-T MRI, band-sawing, and histologic evaluation. Three readers evaluated the MRI for the presence of the cable, and the same readers and a pathologist reviewed the macroscopic and microscopic specimens for a structure that corresponded to the cable. Cadaver 1 underwent arthroscopic evaluation to evaluate for the presence of a cable. Seventy consecutive shoulders that underwent 1.5- or 3-T MRI were also reviewed for the presence of the cable and evaluation of its characteristics (location, thickness, and width).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A linear band of hypointense signal intensity was found along the undersurface of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons on both cadaveric MR images, which correlated to a linear band of tissue in the same location on macroscopic and microscopic evaluation and linear thickening along the cuff articular surface on arthroscopy consistent with the cable. The cable was seen in 74.3% of the MRI studies in both sagittal and coronal planes with a mean (± SD) distance of the cable from the medial margin of the enthesis of 1.33 ± 0.27 cm, a mean width of the cable of 1.24 ± 0.31 cm, and a mean thickness of 0.19 ± 0.05 cm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rotator cable is a structure that can be consistently seen on gross anatomic and histologic analysis, arthroscopy, and MRI in the intact rotator cuff. Familiarity with the typical location and morphology of the cable may allow easier characterization of disease that can involve the cable, such as rotator cuff tears.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA. soterios20@gmail.com
authors.forename: Soterios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gyftopoulos
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bencardino
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nevsky
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soofi
authors.forename: Panna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: Laith
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jazrawi
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Recht
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic