Assessment of Acromial Morphology in Association with Supraspinatus Pathologies Using MRI

Dr. Dinesh Ram.V, Dr. Vinayagam. S, Dr. Senthil Kumar

Abstract: CONTEXT: Supraspinatus is the most frequently involved tendon in rotator- cuff pathologies. The purpose of this study is to characterize Acromion types and to recognize which type of Acromion could be the risk factor for supraspinatus pathologies.1 MATERIALS AND METHODS: 67 patients with rotator cuff pathologies were enrolled in this study and all were subjected to MRI examination by 1.5 Tesla SIEMENS MAGNETON ESSENZA machine. The acromial shapes were classified into type I (flat), type II (curved), type III (hooked) and type IV (convex). RESULTS: Type II Acromion (68.5 %) is the most common type and is commonly associated with supraspinatus pathologies. Out of 45 patients with curved type II acromion, 43 had supraspinatus pathologies and all 7 subjects who had type III acromion had supraspinatus pathologies. No supraspinatus pathology was found in subjects with Type IV Acromion. CONCLUSION: Type II acromion is the most common type appears large in number with or without rotator cuff disease, Type- III acromion (hooked shaped) is strongly associated with supraspinatus pathologies.

Keywords: MRI, Acromion, Supraspinatus pathology