Quantitative measurement of humero-acromial, humero-coracoid, and coraco-clavicular intervals for the diagnosis of subacromial and subcoracoid impingement of shoulder joint.

OBJECTIVE AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the acromio-humeral, coraco-humeral, and coraco-clavicular distances with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of shoulder impingement syndrome.

SUBJECTS AND

METHODS

All the acromio-humeral, coraco-humeral, and coraco-clavicular intervals of all patients were reviewed retrospectively. A total of 132 shoulders (76 right and 56 left shoulders) with impingement syndrome (40 males and 92 females, with 79 cases surgically confirmed and the remaining 53 cases clinically and radiologically suspected) and 40 control group patients were included. Statistical correlation of this research was assessed by Fisher's Exact t test and Pearson chi-square test-correlation coefficients.

RESULTS

In the correlation of average acromio-humeral, coraco-humeral, and coraco-clavicular intervals (AHI, CHI, and CCI, respectively), there were significant statistical differences between patient and control groups; all the intervals were found to be higher in the control group. A moderate positive relation between average AHI and CHI, between AHI and CCI, and between CCI and CHI has been found. All intervals in the patient group increase or decrease dependently on each other. No proper cut-off values were determined using a receiver operating characteristic curve for all intervals between patient and control groups.

CONCLUSION

Acromio-humeral, coraco-humeral, and coraco-clavicular intervals were extremely lower in the shoulder impingement syndrome and had significant importance in the diagnosis of subacromial and subcoracoid impingements.