Direct MR arthrography of the shoulder under axial traction: Feasibility study to evaluate the superior labrum‐biceps tendon complex and articular cartilage |
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Authors: | Fabio Becce MD Delphine Richarme MD Patrick Omoumi MD MSc Ali Djahangiri MD Alain Farron MD Reto Meuli MD PhD Nicolas Theumann MD |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 46, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;2. Department of Radiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint‐Luc, Université Catholique Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;4. Department of Radiology, Clinique Hirslanden Bois‐Cerf, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland |
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Abstract: | Purpose: To assess the value of adding axial traction to direct MR arthrography of the shoulder, in terms of subacromial and glenohumeral joint space widths, and coverage of the superior labrum‐biceps tendon complex and articular cartilage by contrast material. Materials and Methods: Twenty‐one patients investigated by direct MR arthrography of the shoulder were prospectively included. Studies were performed with a 3 Tesla (T) unit and included a three‐dimensional isotropic fat‐suppressed T1‐weighted gradient‐recalled echo sequence, without and with axial traction (4 kg). Two radiologists independently measured the width of the subacromial, superior, and inferior glenohumeral joint spaces. They subsequently rated the amount of contrast material around the superior labrum‐biceps tendon complex and between glenohumeral cartilage surfaces, using a three‐point scale: 0 = no, 1 = partial, 2 = full. Results: Under traction, the subacromial (Δ = 2.0 mm, P = 0.0003), superior (Δ = 0.7 mm, P = 0.0001) and inferior (Δ = 1.4 mm, P = 0.0006) glenohumeral joint space widths were all significantly increased, and both readers noted significantly more contrast material around the superior labrum‐biceps tendon complex (P = 0.014), and between the superior (P = 0.001) and inferior (P = 0.025) glenohumeral cartilage surfaces. Conclusion: Direct MR arthrography of the shoulder under axial traction increases subacromial and glenohumeral joint space widths, and prompts better coverage of the superior labrum‐biceps tendon complex and articular cartilage by contrast material. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;37:1228–1233. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. |
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Keywords: | shoulder glenoid labrum biceps tendon cartilage MR arthrography traction |
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