Learning objectives
The purpose of this educational poster is to depict and explain the technique of dynamic ultrasonography of the shoulder and review the fundamental anatomical structures with characteristic US findings.
Background
Shoulder pain is a prevalent and recurrent symptom,
being a cause of many visits to healthcare services.
It may have a high impact on the patients’ lives,
either financially,
or by the decrease in the quality of life that comes with the pain.
Ultrasonography is an important imaging technique applicable to the evaluation of the shoulder,
and is in fact one of the most commonly performed examinations,
recommended by experts as the first-choice technique to evaluate this joint.
The advantages include not only excellent diagnostic...
Findings and procedure details
The dynamic ultrasonography of the shoulder is performed with varying degrees of patient arm rotation and joint stress maneuvers.
Proper use of the ultrasound transducer,
a high-frequency (9-15 MHz) linear array,
is crucial for adequate resolution and visualization.
This technique is useful in the assessment of a wide variety of disorders.
When starting the evaluation,
it is important to collect a short clinical history which can provide clues for the diagnosis.
The shoulder examination may follow different strategies; however,
it is important to follow a...
Conclusion
Shoulder ultrasonography represents an efficient diagnostic imaging tool for the assessment of diseases that affect this articulation,
performed in real-time.
A standardized procedure is proposed to ensure a global evaluation of the structures of the shoulder.
Through a systematic approach,
in seven steps,
it ensures coverage of a wide range of pathologies,
leading to a higher diagnostic accuracy.
It is,
nevertheless,
essential to have a thorough understanding of the normal shoulder anatomy,
its common pathologic conditions and,
not less important,
the radiologist should be familiar...
References
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Musculoskeletal ultrasound technical guidelines.
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Jacobson JA.Shoulder US: anatomy,
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2011 Jul; 260(1):6-16.
Lee MH,
Sheehan SE,
et al.
Comprehensive Shoulder US Examination: A Standardized Approach with Multimodality Correlation for Common Shoulder Disease.
Radiographics.
Oct 2016.
Park J,
Chai JW,
Kim DH and Cha SW.
Dynamic ultrasonography of the shoulder.
Ultrasonography 2018; 37(3): 190-199.
Kadi,
R,
et al.
Shoulder Anatomy and Normal Variants.
Journal of the Belgian...