Comparison of the MR findings on indirect MR arthrography in patients with rotator cuff tears with and without symptoms

Abstract

To compare indirect magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography findings in patients with rotator cuff tears with and without symptoms. Indirect MR arthrography results of 15 asymptomatic and 23 symptomatic rotator cuff tears were retrospectively reviewed, comparing the type and size of tears and amount of subacrominal-subdeltoid bursal fluid. There were 14 partial-thickness tears and one full-thickness tear in the asymptomatic group, with 4 small and 11 medium tears. In the symptomatic group, there were 16 partial-thickness and 7 full-thickness tears, with 14 small, 5 medium, and 4 large tears. In the asymptomatic group, the amount of subacrominal-subdeltoid bursal fluid was grade 0, 6 patients; grade 1, 6 patients; grade 2, 2 patients; and grade 3, 1 patient. In the symptomatic group, the amount of subacrominal-subdeltoid bursal fluid was grade 0, 4 patients; grade 1, 3 patients; grade 2, 8 patients; and grade 3, 8 patients. We found no statistically significant difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic tears in the kind and size of tears, and in the amount of subacrominal-subdeltoid bursal fluid. We found no difference in the MR findings between symptomatic and asymptomatic rotator cuff tears.