Radiological changes of the shoulder joint in rheumatoid arthritis and humero-scapular periarthritis

Abstract

In a study of 250 pairs of shoulder radiographs taken from 55 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis three types of abnormalities were consistently detected, and affected:

• 1. cranio-lateral part of humerus,

• 2. gleno-humeral joint space and surroundings,

• 3. acromio-clavicular joint.

Comparison with a group of 54 patients suffering from humero-scapular periarthritis revealed that both groups show irregularities of the cranio-lateral part of the humerus; these occur more frequently in rheumatoid arthritis. Calcification was found only in the HSP group. The gleno-humeral joint space may be narrowed in the rheumatoid arthritis group, but this was not seen in the humero-scapular periarthritis group. The acromio-clavicular joint space can show a marked widening in RA but this was not encountered in the HSP group.