MRI findings in atraumatic shoulder pain—patterns of disease correlated with age and gender

Background The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons which support the shoulder joint. Rotator cuff disease is a frequent cause of morbidity in adulthood. Aims The aims of his study are to determine the prevalence and patterns of rotator cuff derangement in symptomatic patients using MRI and to attempt to correlate identified patterns of disease with age and gender Methods Five hundred ninety-seven patients attending for MRI of the shoulder with atraumatic shoulder pain were included for study. Patients’ age and gender was recorded. Record was made of the presence or absence of rotator cuff derangement and of degenerative change in the AC and glenohumeral joints. Correlation was made between age and gender. Results There were 358 males (60%) and 239 females (40%) with a mean age of 49.4 ± 17.1 years. Subacromial bursitis was identified in 517 patients. A normal supraspinatus tendon was identified in 219 patients and supraspinatus full thickness tearing was identified in 102 patients. A normal AC joint was identified in 267 patients while degenerative AC joint changes were identified in 370 patients. A significant correlation was identified between age and rotator cuff derangement ( p < .001) and between age and AC joint derangement ( p < .001). No significant difference was identified between gender and patterns of cuff derangement Conclusion The extent of rotator cuff and AC joint derangement increases with ageing. Impingement appears to trigger a cascade of events in sequence, from isolated subacromial bursitis through to supraspinatus tendon tearing. Patterns of rotator cuff derangement are similar in men and women.