The association between acromial anatomy and articular-sided partial thickness of rotator cuff tears

Cen Tao Liu,Jia Qing Miao,Xian Hui Wang,Hua Wang,Heng An Ge,Biao Cheng

doi:10.1186/s12891-021-04639-1

Abstract

BackgroundAcromial anatomy has been found to be correlated with degenerative full-thickness rotator cuff tears in current studies. However, research on the relationship between acromial anatomy and articular-sided partial thickness of rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs) is still lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether these imaging graphic parameters exhibit any association between acromial anatomy and degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs.MethodsBetween January 2016 and December 2018, a total of 91 patients without a history of trauma underwent arthroscopy as an articular-sided PTRCT group. In the control group, with age- and sex-matched patients, we selected 91 consecutive outpatient patients who underwent shoulder magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because of shoulder pain and an MRI diagnosis of only synovial hyperplasia and effusion. MRI was used to measure the acromial type, acromiohumeral distance (AHD), lateral acromial angle (LAA), acromion index (AI), and critical shoulder angle (CSA) by 2 independent observers.ResultsThe acromion type, AHD and LAA showed no difference between degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs and controls (P = 0.532, 0.277, and 0.108, respectively). AI and CSA were significantly higher in degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs (P = 0.002 and 0.003, respectively). A good correlation was found between AI and CSA to measurement(Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.631).ConclusionsOur study revealed that higher AI and CSA were found in degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs. Acromial anatomy with a large acromial extension was associated with the occurrence of degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs.

Highlights

Acromial anatomy has been found to be correlated with degenerative full-thickness rotator cuff tears in current studies
We evaluated the relationship of these common parameters with articular-sided partial thickness of rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs)
The main finding of the study was that statistically significant differences in acromion index (AI) and critical shoulder angle (CSA) were found between the articular-sided PTRCT group and the matched control group utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Summary

Introduction

Acromial anatomy has been found to be correlated with degenerative full-thickness rotator cuff tears in current studies. Research on the relationship between acromial anatomy and articular-sided partial thickness of rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs) is still lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether these imaging graphic parameters exhibit any association between acromial anatomy and degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs. Rotator cuff tears (RCTs) are a common shoulder disease and are highly prevalent among elderly people [1]. Regarding articular-sided partial thickness rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs) as the maximum proportion of PTRCTs [3], age-related degeneration has been reported in many articles [4]. In addition to the type of acromion, Banas et al [8] reported a low lateral acromial angle (LAA) associated with RCT, which was later confirmed by other authors [9]. Some authors focused on the critical shoulder angle (CSA), as proposed by Moor et al [13], and showed a strong correlation with RCTs and osteoarthritis

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