Anterior versus Posterior Approach for Ultrasound (US) Guided Shoulder Magnetic Resonance (MR) Arthrograms

Abstract

Background: Shoulder arthrography is an accurate method that can help in diagnosing several diseases. When shoulder arthrography is done combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a more comprehensive assessment of the cartilaginous structures of the glenohumeral joint is performed. Objective: This study aims to compare the anterior with the posterior ultrasound-guided arthrography injection approaches in achieving optimal needle placement, ensuring the accuracy of shoulder arthrography injections. Subjects and Methods: A total of 38 individuals (suffering from shoulder dislocation) were enrolled, in the study. The efficacy of the technique was evaluated relative to the success or failure of contrast medium administration into the glenohumeral joint, and the number of attempts required to achieve that success. Results: The success rate among the anterior approach group was 84.2% versus 89.5% in the posterior approach group. The mean number of trials for the anterior and posterior approaches showed no statistically significant difference while the mean injected volume with the anterior approach was significantly lower than that of the posterior approach group (P-Value: 0.006). Conclusion: The posterior approach has a slight advantage over the anterior approach regarding the injected volume of the contrast medium. However, there were better results yet non-statistically significant regarding the anterior and posterior approaches accuracy, pain tolerance, and the number of trials.