Rotator cuff disruption: diagnosis with digital arthrography

Shoulder arthrography is a reliable technique for use in the diagnosis of tears of the rotator cuff, although delineation of the precise site and size of tears requires meticulous double-contrast technique and considerable examiner expertise. The authors initiated a prospective evaluation of digital arthrography of the glenohumeral joint in 28 patients with clinical manifestations suggesting rotator cuff tear because they believed that examination with this technique would allow more accurate definition of the precise status of the cuff. Fifteen patients had normal studies. Ten complete and three partial rotator cuff tears were demonstrated with digital technique, and the precise site of the tear was demonstrated in all of these cases. The results indicate that digital arthrography of the glenohumeral joint may have some advantages over standard arthrography in the delineation of complete and partial tears of the rotator cuff, particularly in defining the exact site of tears.