Keywords:
Musculoskeletal joint, MR, Observer performance, Epidemiology
Authors:
R. L. Cazzato, R. Del Vescovo, F. Giurazza, E. Faiella, R. F. Grasso, B. Beomonte Zobel; Rome/IT
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2013/C-0841
Methods and Materials
Three group of patients were included in the present study according to their age:
- G1 (54 patients,
mean age 32 years,
range 20-40; male:female=37:17; right shoulders:left shoulders=33:21);
- G2 (54 patients,
mean age 51 years,
range 41-60; male:female=31:23; right shoulders:left shoulders =25:29);
- G3 (54 patients,
mean age 68 years,
range 61-80; male:female=25:29; right shoulders:left shoulders =33:21).
All subjects underwent a MRI scan of the shoulder (1.5 T,
Siemens Somaton Sensation,
Germany).
On the TSE T2-weigthed coronal sequences,
the width (medial to lateral) and the height (cranio-caudal) of the supraspinatus tendon (SSPT) were measured (Fig.
1).
On the axial TSE sequence the subscapularis tendon (SSCT) width (antero-posterior diameter) and length (medial to lateral) were measured (Fig.
2).
The same measures were obtained for the infraspinatus tendon (ISPT) on the axial TSE sequence (Fig.
3).
Measurements were obtained by two different operators with a 5 and 10 years experience in MSK radiology,
respectively.
The Kruskal Wallis Test was used to compare the results in the three groups of patients.