Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of bilateral acromiohumeral distance on magnetic resonance imaging and radiography in patients with unilateral rotator cuff tears

  • Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 09 February 2022

This article has been updated

Abstract

Introduction

The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference in the acromiohumeral distance (AHD) between the shoulders with full-thickness rotator cuff tear and contralateral healthy shoulders of the same patients on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radiograph.

Materials and methods

We included 49 patients with unilateral full-thickness rotator cuff tears. The mean age of the patients (29 women and 20 men) was 54.57 ± 7.10 years. The shoulders were divided into those with a full-thickness rotator cuff tear and healthy shoulders. The mean AHDs on radiograph and MRI were calculated by two radiologists experienced in the musculoskeletal system. Shoulders with rotator cuff tears on coronal plane and sagittal MRI were divided into 3 (Patte I, II, III) and 4 subgroups (S: superior, AS: anterosuperior, PS: posterosuperior, APS: anteroposterosuperior), respectively. The relationship between the groups and the subgroups was statistically investigated.

Results

The mean AHDs on radiograph were 6.93 and 9.11 mm and on MRI were 5.94 and 7.46 mm in the patient and control groups, respectively. The mean AHDs were 6.47, 6.03, and 4.95 mm in Patte I, II, and III, respectively. The difference between the subgroups was statistically significant. According to the sagittal plane topography, the mean AHDs (mm) were 6.39, 6.44, 5.8, and 4.6 mm in the superiorly, anterosuperiorly, posterosuperiorly, and anteroposterosuperiorly localized lesions, respectively. The relationship between S and AS was not statistically significant, and those between S and PS, AS and PS, S and APS, and PS and APS were significant.

Conclusions

In patients with unilateral full-thickness rotator cuff tear, AHD narrowing was observed on the törnekler side after evaluating the bilateral acromiohumeral distance on MRI and radiograph. AHD was significantly reduced by increasing the degree of supraspinatus tendon retraction in the coronal plane MRI and by the posterosuperior and anteroposterosuperior location of the rotator cuff tear in the sagittal plane MRI.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Change history

References

  1. Pandey V, Willems WJ (2015) Rotator cuff tear: a detailed update. Asia Pac J Sports Med Arthrosc Rehabil Technol 2:1–14

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Cetinkaya M, Ataoglu MB, Ozer M, Ayanoglu T, Oner AY, Kanatli U (2018) Do subscapularis tears really result in superior humeral migration? Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc 52:109–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Weiner DS, Macnab I (1970) Superior migration of the humeral head. A radiological aid in the diagnosis of tears of the rotator cuff. J Bone Joint Surg Br 52:524–527

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Inman VT, Saunders JB, Abbott LC (1996) Observations of the function of the shoulder joint. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 330:3–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Burkhart SS (1997) Partial repair of massive rotator cuff tears: the evolution of a concept. Orthop Clin North Am 28:125–132

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Burkhart SS (2000) A stepwise approach to arthroscopic rotator cuff repair based on biomechanical principles. Arthroscopy 16:82–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hansen ML, Otis JC, Johnson JS, Cordasco FA, Craig EV, Warren RF (2008) Biomechanics of massive rotator cuff tears: implications for treatment. J Bone Joint Surg Am 90:316–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Mirzayan R, Donohoe S, Batech M, Suh BD, Acevedo DC, Singh A (2020) Is there a difference in the acromiohumeral distances measured on radiographic and magnetic resonance images of the same shoulder with a massive rotator cuff tear? J Shoulder Elbow Surg 29:1145–1151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kim SJ, Park JS, Lee KH, Lee BG (2016) The development of a quantitative scoring system to predict whether a large-to-massive rotator cuff tear can be arthroscopically repaired. Bone Joint J 98-B:1656–1661

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Kelly BT, Williams RJ, Cordasco FA, Backus SI, Otis JC, Weiland DE et al (2005) Differential patterns of muscle activation in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic rotator cuff tears. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 14:165–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Razmjou H, Palinkas V, Christakis M, Robarts S, Kennedy D (2020) Reduced acromiohumeral distance and increased critical shoulder angle: implications for primary care clinicians. Phys Sportsmed 48:312–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Werner CM, Conrad SJ, Meyer DC, Keller A, Hodler J, Gerber C (2008) Intermethod agreement and interobserver correlation of radiologic acromiohumeral distance measurements. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 17:237–240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Mantell MT, Nelson R, Lowe JT, Endrizzi DP, Jawa A (2017) Critical shoulder angle is associated with full-thickness rotator cuff tears in patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 26:e376–e381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Moor BK, Bouaicha S, Rothenfluh DA, Sukthankar A, Gerber C (2013) Is there an association between the individual anatomy of the scapula and the development of rotator cuff tears or osteoarthritis of the glenohumeral joint?: A radiological study of the critical shoulder angle. Bone Joint J. 95-b:935–41.

  15. Keener JD, Wei AS, Kim HM, Steger-May K, Yamaguchi K (2009) Proximal humeral migration in shoulders with symptomatic and asymptomatic rotator cuff tears. J Bone Joint Surg Am 91:1405–1413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Nové-Josserand L, Boulahia A, Levigne C, Noel E, Walch G (1999) Coraco-humeral space and rotator cuff tears. Rev Chir Orthop Reparatrice Appar Mot 85:677–683

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Nové-Josserand L, Lévigne C, Noël E, Walch G (1996) The acromio-humeral interval. A study of the factors influencing its height. Rev Chir Orthop Reparatrice Appar Mot 82:379–385

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Gumina S, Arceri V, Fagnani C, Venditto T, Catalano C, Candela V et al (2015) Subacromial space width: Does overuse or genetics play a greater role in determining it? an MRI study on elderly twins. J Bone Joint Surg Am 97:1647–1652

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Patte D (1990) Classification of rotator cuff lesions. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 81–6.

  20. Golding FC (1962) The shoulder–the forgotten joint. Br J Radiol 35:149–158

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Cotton RE, Rideout DF (1964) Tears of the humeral rotator cuff; A radiological and pathological necropsy survey. J Bone Joint Surg Br 46:314–328

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Goupille P, Anger C, Cotty P, Fouquet B, Soutif D, Valat JP (1993) Value of standard radiographies in the diagnosis of rotator cuff rupture. Rev Rhum Ed Fr 60:440–444

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Nové-Josserand L, Edwards TB, O’Connor DP, Walch G (2005) The acromiohumeral and coracohumeral intervals are abnormal in rotator cuff tears with muscular fatty degeneration. Clin Orthop Relat Res 433:90–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lee KW, Lee SH, Jung SH, Kim HY, Ahn JH, Kim KJ, Choy WS (2008) The effect of the acromion shape on rotator cuff tears. J Korean Orthop Assoc 43:181–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. De Oliveira FF, Godinho AC, Ribeiro EJ, Falster L, Búrigo LE, Nunes RB (2016) Evaluation of the acromiohumeral distance by means of magnetic resonance imaging umerus. Rev Bras Ortop 51:169–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Saupe N, Pfirrmann CW, Schmid MR, Jost B, Werner CM, Zanetti M (2006) Association between rotator cuff abnormalities and reduced acromiohumeral distance. AJR Am J Roentgenol 187:376–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Vanderstukken F, Maenhout A, Spanhove V, Jansen N, Mertens T, Cools AM (2020) Quantifying acromiohumeral distance in elite male field hockey players compared to a non-athletic population. Braz J Phys Ther 24:273–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Horasan State Hospital, Adnan Menderes Mahalesi Profosör Recep Akdağ Cad. No:20, 25800, Horasan, Erzurum, Turkey

    Serkan Sürücü

  2. Haseki Education Research Hospital, Uğur Mumcu Mahallesi, Belediye Sokak, No:7, Sultangazi, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mahmud Aydın, Rıdvan Karahasanoglu & Doğan Atlıhan

  3. Aksaray University Education Research Hospital, Yeni Sanayi Mah, Tacin Cd, 68200, Aksaray Merkez, Aksaray, Turkey

    Sercan Çapkın

  4. Bingol State Hospital, Saray Mahallesi Hasan Basri Caddesi No: 66, Merkez, Bingöl, Turkey

    Mazhar Yalçın

Authors
  1. Serkan Sürücü
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mahmud Aydın
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sercan Çapkın
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Rıdvan Karahasanoglu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mazhar Yalçın
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Doğan Atlıhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mahmud Aydın.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sürücü, S., Aydın, M., Çapkın, S. et al. Evaluation of bilateral acromiohumeral distance on magnetic resonance imaging and radiography in patients with unilateral rotator cuff tears. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 142, 175–180 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-021-04026-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-021-04026-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation