title: Clinical evaluation of the shape of the suprascapular notch--an ultrasonographic and computed tomography comparative study: Application to shoulder pain syndromes.
abstract: The most common site of suprascapular nerve compression and injury is the suprascapular notch. The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of sonography in determining the type of suprascapular notch (SSN). Thirty randomized patients (60 upper extremities) underwent USG examination of the shoulder area. The results were further compared with three-dimensional reconstructions of the scapulae obtained through CT examination to place the SSNs within a fivefold classification. For identification of type I, the sensitivity was 73.3% and the specificity 97.8%. For identification of type III, the values was 96.9% and 85.7%, respectively. Type II was not found in USG examination. Discrimination between type IV and V was not possible. The mean distance between the line connecting the edges of the SSN and the skin was 38 mm in right-handed patients and 34 mm in ambidextrous subjects. Ultrasonographic examination of the SSN is characterized by high specificity for type I, and high sensitivity for type III SSN. Discrimination between type IV and V of the SSN is not recommended based on sonographic evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Angiology, Medical University of Łódź, Interfaculty Chair of Anatomy and Histology, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polguj
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Orthopedic and Pediatric Orthopedics, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Synder
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Orthopedic and Pediatric Orthopedics, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kwapisz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Łódź, Barlicki University Hospital No.1, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stefańczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Łódź, Barlicki University Hospital No.1, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grzelak
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal and Clinical Anatomy, Interfaculty Chair of Anatomy and Histology Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Podgórski
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal and Clinical Anatomy, Interfaculty Chair of Anatomy and Histology Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Mirosław
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Topol
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012540:Scapula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation*; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: computed tomography; shoulder; suprascapular; ultrasonography; variation