Magnetic Resonance Imaging Classifications of Rotator Cuff Tear Are Associated with Different Shoulder Outcome Scores

Abstract

Objective. Rotator cuff tear (RCT) accounts for 50% of shoulder injuries, leading to chronic pain and disability in the upper extremity. The study is conducted to investigate the association between resonance imaging (MRI) classifications of patients with RCT and different shoulder outcome scores. Methods. From September 2018 to October 2019, 112 patients underwent shoulder MRI at our institution and selected as eligible study subjects according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among these 112 patients, 69 cases had confirmed history of shoulder trauma and 43 cases were due to chronic shoulder joint pain. The shoulder function of patients was evaluated by University of California Los Angeles Shoulder (UCLA) score, Constant-Murley score, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and simple shoulder test (SST). Results. Among the 112 patients, there were 34 cases, 58 cases, and 20 cases with MRI classifications at grades I, II, and III, respectively. There was no significant difference in the injured tendons in patients with different MRI classifications ( P > 0.05 ). The injury at the supraspinatus was more common. The scores of UCLA, Constant-Murley, and SST in patients with MRI grading at grade I were significantly higher than those at grades II and III ( P < 0.05 ), which were significantly higher in patients at grade II than those at grade III ( P < 0.05 ). SPADI score in patients with MRI grading at grade I was significantly lower than that at grades II and III ( P < 0.05 ), while there was no significant difference in SPADI score between patients at grades II and III ( P > 0.05 ). MRI classifications were negatively correlated with scores of UCLA, Constant-Murley, and SST ( P > 0.05 ). There was no significant correlation between MRI grade and SPADI scores ( P > 0.05 ). Conclusion. The supraspinatus tendon injury is more common in patients with RCT. MRI classifications were negatively correlated with scores of UCLA, Constant-Murley, and SST.