Evaluation of Ultrasonography in Diagnosis of Patients with Rotator Cuff Pathology

Abstract

Both diagnostic ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used for investigation of the presence and severity of rotator cuff abnormalities. The objective of this research was to evaluate the diagnostic value of US in the diagnosis of rotator cuff problems relative to MRI and to examine the sensitivity of ultrasound in detecting rotator cuff diseases by comparing the ultrasound and (MRI) results. This was analytical cross-sectional study of 87 Sudanese patients with shoulder pain, the maximum age was 75.0 and minimum was 23.0 years old all of them attended to Antalia Diagnostic Center for shoulder MRI, Bashaer Hospital - Southern Khartoum and a private ultrasound clinic in Gabal Awleyaa for shoulder ultrasound examination, during the period from 2014-2017. Patients examined by US and MRI using standard protocols of scanning. The study showed that the most affected tendon was the supraspinatus tendon 35 (40.2%) partial tears and 8 (9.2%) full thickness tears, females were affected more than males by rotator cuff partial tears 27 (67.5%) and13 (32.5%) in respectively while males affected more than females by full thickness tears 5 (5.7%) and 3(3.4%). The most common affected occupation by rotator cuff tears were housewives with 18 partial tears (20.7%) and 3 full thickness tears (3.4%). US results showed sensitivity ranged between 40-100% and accuracy ranged between 81.8% -100% in diagnosis of patients suspected to have rotator cuff tear. Our findings showed that US is as accurate as MRI for full-thickness tears (100%) and the accuracy of ultrasonography and MRI in the diagnosis of partial tear was ranged between 91.6 -96.4% and 92.8-96.1% in respectively and there is no statistically significant difference between the results of MRI versus ultrasound. MRI showed 60َ (68.96%) patients have either partial or full thickness rotator cuff tears whereas on ultrasonography examination showed 48(55.2%). Sensitivity in diagnosis of the associated findings in MRI as long head of biceps dislocation, bursa fluids, shoulder impingement syndrome ,calcific tendinitis were V found to be 50%,86%,92% and 29%,while ultrasound was found to have sensitivity of 100%,86%,48%, and 67% for the same pathological results.