To review the normal anatomy of the glenoid labrum and associated structures, including its multiple anatomic variants. To discuss and illustrate the different types of labral disease and depict it’s key imaging findings in order to avoid potential pitfalls in interpretation and allow a sound diagnosis of labral tears and provide insight from arthroscopic correlation.

Labral tears are increasingly being recognized altough its dificult clinical diagnosis due to unspecific ND overlapingclinical findings, therefore imaging, especially magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of labral disease. The labrum consists of a fibrocartilaginous ring that envolves and attaches to the glenoid, increasing the concavity of the glenoid fossa to better accommodate the larger humeral head (HH), increasing the surface area of contact andproviding stability to the shoulder. Accordingly, the labrum is oftenly involved by trauma or repeated microtrauma....

The key findings that help in describing a labrum tear are: -Recognition of normal variants -Location of the tear using a clockwise method. -Description of the detached component, pointing out if its a full or partial thickness tear. -Relationship to the surrounding structures, particularly the biceps anchor. -Extension and involvement of the medium gleno-humeral ligament (MGHL) and rotator cuff (RC) interval structures. -Presence of associated concomital lesions (RC tears, Hill-Sachs).

The clinical diagnosis of labral tears lies essentially in imaging, because of nonspecific clinical findings, so it is vital for the radiologist to be familiar with labrum pathology, but also with the frequent existing normal variants in order to accurately establish the preoperative diagnosis and provide the necessary information to assist in a proper preoperative planning.