A value-based care analysis of magnetic resonance imaging in patients with suspected rotator cuff tendinopathy and the implicated role of conservative management

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often used to evaluate the integrity of the rotator cuff in patients with suspected full-thickness rotator cuff tears or other cuff tendinopathies. The value of advanced imaging value comes into question when it is used as the initial musculoskeletal imaging test before a trial of conservative therapy in patients with atraumatic shoulder pain, minimal to no strength deficits on examination, and suspected cuff tendinopathy. A prospective study of a group of patients suspected to have cuff tendinopathy based on clinical findings was performed. Every patient underwent MRI and was offered an initial trial of conservative management. Patients had an average follow-up of 28.3 ± 5.3 months after imaging to determine whether surgery was performed. A total of 51 patients were included in this study. Of this cohort, 46 (90.2%) patients did not go on to surgical intervention, whereas 5 (9.8%) patients did at an average 68.3 days after imaging. These results suggest that over 90.2% of patients (46 of 51) had premature MRI, posing an unnecessary economic burden of $181,619 in advanced imaging charges. The use of MRI before a trial of conservative management in patients with atraumatic shoulder pain, minimal to no strength deficits on physical examination, and suspected cuff tendinopathy other than full-thickness tears provides negative value in the management of these patients, at both the individual and population level.