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Bilateral pectoralis major MRI in weightlifters: findings of the non-injured side versus age-matched asymptomatic athletes

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Abstract

Objective

To evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of the contralateral side in weightlifting athletes with pectoralis major (PM) tears. We hypothesized that MRI of the non-injured side may present increased pectoralis major tendon (PMT) length and thickness and greater pectoralis major muscle (PMM) volume and cross-sectional area when compared with the control group.

Methods

We retrospectively identified MRI cases with unilateral PM injury and reviewed imaging findings of the contralateral side. Also, we evaluated MRI from ten asymptomatic control weightlifting athletes, with PM imaging from both sides. Two musculoskeletal radiologists independently reviewed MRI and measured PMT length, PMT thickness, PMM volume (PMM-vol) and PMM cross-sectional area (PMM-CSA), as well as humeral shaft cross-sectional area (Hum-CSA) and the ratio between PMM-CSA and Hum-CSA (PMM-CSA/Hum-CSA). Data were compared between the non-injured side and controls. The MRI protocol from both groups was the same and included T1 FSE and T2 FATSAT axial, coronal, and sagittal images, one side at a time.

Results

We identified 36 male subjects with unilateral PM injury with mean age 35.7 ± 8 years and 10 age- and gender-matched controls (p = 0.45). A total of 36 PM MRI with non-injured PM and 20 PM MRI studies were included in this study. PMT length and PMT thickness were significantly higher in contralateral PM injury versus control subjects (both P < 0.001). Also, PM-CSA and Hum-CSA were greater in the contralateral PM injury group (P = 0.032 and P < 0.001, respectively). PMT thickness > 2.95 mm had 80.6% sensitivity and 90.0% specificity to differentiate the non-injured PM group from controls.

Conclusion

Non-injured side MR imaging of patients with previous contralateral PM lesion demonstrates greater PMT thickness and length as well as PM-CSA and Hum-CSA than controls.

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Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 800, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil

    Ivan Rodrigues Barros Godoy & André Fukunishi Yamada

  2. Department of Radiology, Hospital Do Coração (HCor) and Teleimagem, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Ivan Rodrigues Barros Godoy, Tatiane Cantarelli Rodrigues, Abdalla Youssef Skaf & André Fukunishi Yamada

  3. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Alberto de Castro Pochini

  4. ALTA Diagnostic Center (DASA Group), São Paulo, Brazil

    Abdalla Youssef Skaf & André Fukunishi Yamada

Authors
  1. Ivan Rodrigues Barros Godoy
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  2. Tatiane Cantarelli Rodrigues
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  3. Abdalla Youssef Skaf
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  4. Alberto de Castro Pochini
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  5. André Fukunishi Yamada
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Correspondence to Ivan Rodrigues Barros Godoy.

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Godoy, I.R.B., Rodrigues, T.C., Skaf, A.Y. et al. Bilateral pectoralis major MRI in weightlifters: findings of the non-injured side versus age-matched asymptomatic athletes. Skeletal Radiol 51, 1829–1836 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-022-04031-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-022-04031-7

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