title: Neovascularization prevalence in the supraspinatus of patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A high prevalence of neovascularity in lower extremity tendinopathies has been reported. Neovascularity in those with rotator cuff tendinopathy exclusively has not been examined. The objective was to determine the prevalence of neovascularization in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy compared with asymptomatic controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-blind cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n = 40; age = 44.9 years, 23-62 years; 20 females) with rotator cuff tendinopathy (n = 20) but without full-thickness rotator cuff tears, and asymptomatic controls that were age, gender, and hand dominance matched (n = 20) to the patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants laying in supine had their shoulder positioned in internal rotation and extension. Ultrasound images were collected of the supraspinatus tendon and subacromial bursae in the transverse and longitudinal planes using a linear transducer in color Doppler mode.
  
  
  METHODS
  Images were assessed for neovascularization by 2 trained raters who were blinded to group (rotator cuff tendinopathy or asymptomatic group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant difference in neovascularization was identified between participants with and without rotator cuff tendinopathy (χ = 0.13, df = 1, P = 0.72). Neovascularization was identified in 6 of 20 patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy (30%) and 5 of 20 asymptomatic control participants (25%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors found no differences in neovascularization rate in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy (30%) and asymptomatic controls (25%). The study indicates that neovascularization is not related to presence of symptomatic tendinopathy in those with rotator cuff tendinopathy. Neovascularization may not be a relevant sonographic finding to aid the clinical assessment of those with rotator cuff tendinopathy.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia; †Department of Physical Therapy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts; and ‡Department of Radiology, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kardouni
authors.forename: Amee L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.forename: Matthew K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Walsworth
authors.forename: Lori A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Michener
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult