Analysis Of MR Imaging Feature Of Coracoid Process And Its Diagnostic Value On Rotator Cuff Injury

ObjectiveTo explore the differences between vertical distance from coracoid process to supra-glenoid tubercle and anterior-posterior distance from coracoid process to humeral head distance measured by magnetic resonance arthrography(MRA)in rotator cuff injury and the control group,and to evaluate the relationship between the two distances with rotator cuff injury,so as to provide imaging reference for the diagnosis of clinical rotator cuff injury.Materials and MethodsA retrospective review was performed of 145 shoulder MR arthrograms.According to the location of injury,the patients were divided into subscapular tendon injury experimental group(52 cases),supraspinatus tendon injury experimental group(54 cases)and control group(39 cases),the pathological changes of the subscapularis and supraspinatus tendons in the experimental group were evaluated and statistically analyzed.The vertical distance from the coracoid process to the supra-glenoid tubercle in the sagittal plane and the distance from the coracoid process to the humeral head in the sagittal and axial plane were measured,respectively,to compare the relationship between two kinds of distance and pathological changes of tendon.ResultsIn the supraspinatus tendinopathy experimental group(54 cases),the average vertical distance from the coracoid process to the supra-glenoid tubercle was 6.7mm larger than that of the control group in the sagittal plane(t=3.6,p = 0.001),and the average anterior-posterior distance from the coracoid process to humeral head in the axial plane was 10.4mm smaller than that of the control group,the difference was statistically significant(t=-4.5,p = 0.037).The average anterior-posterior distance of coracoid process to humeral head in the sagittal plane was 11.5mm larger than that in control group.There was no significant difference(t=2,p = 0.299).However,in the subscapularis tendon lesions group(52 cases),the results showed that used the same method to measure the anterior-posterior distance from the coracoid process to humeral head in the axial and sagittal plane,and measured the the vertical distance from the coracoid process to supra-glenoid tubercle in the sagittal plane were not statistically significant as compared with the control group(p >0.05).ConclusionThe increase of the vertical distance from the coracoid process to the supra-glenoid tubercle and the decrease of the distance from the coracoid process to the humeral head measured by MRA of the shoulder joint suggested the injury of the supraspinatus tendon,studies have demonstrated that a change in the vertical distance from coracoid process to the supra-glenoid tubercle can lead to a change in the shape of the subcoracoid outlet,which in turn increases the risk of rotator cuff injury,especially in assessing the supraspinatus tendon,however,the ability to assess subscapular tendon injury is limited.