Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Shoulder: Rotator Cuff and Impingement Syndromes

  • Chapter
Musculoskeletal Diseases 2013–2016

  • 1772 Accesses

Abstract

Impingement syndromes are a group of abnormalities characterized by shoulder pain with the arm in certain positions, and can be divided into external and internal categories. External impingement is caused by structural changes outside of the joint and is classified as primary, secondary and subcoracoid types. Internal impingement is secondary to rotator cuff and capsular dysfunction, and is subdivided into posterosuperior (classic internal impingement), anterosuperior, anterior and entrapment of the long head of the biceps tendon subtypes. The role of imaging is to demonstrate structural findings that can corroborate a clinical impression of impingement or demonstrate findings that are suggestive of impingement, but the diagnosis of an impingement syndrome is always clinical.

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Suggested Reading

  • Ahrens PM, Boileau P (2007) The long head of biceps and associated tendinopathy. J Bone Joint Surg 89-B:1001–1009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boileau P, Ahrens PM, Hatzidakis AM (2004) Entrapment of the long head of the biceps tendon: the hourglass biceps—a cause of pain and locking of the shoulder. J Shoulder Elbow 13:249–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balich SM, Sheley RC, Brown TR et al (1997) MR imaging of the rotator cuff: intraobserver agreement and analysis of interpretative errors. Radiology 204:191–194

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beltran LS, Nikac V, Beltran J (2012) Internal impingement syndromes. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 20:201–211

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bigliani LU, Morrison DS, April EW (1986) The morphology of the acromion and its relationship to rotator cuff tears. Orthop Trans 10:228

    Google Scholar 

  • Bright AS, Torpey B, Magid D et al (1997) Reliability of radiographic evaluation for acromial morphology. Skeletal Radiol 26:718–721

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burkhart SS (2006) Internal impingement of the shoulder. Instr Course Lect 55:29–34.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chang EY, Moses DA, Babb JS, Schweitzer ME (2006) Shoulder impingement: objective 3D shape analysis of acromial morphologic features. Radiology 239:497–505

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dines DM, Warren RF, Inglis AE et al (1990) The coracoid impingement syndrome. J Bone Joint Surg 72B:314–316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellman H (1990) Diagnosis and treatment of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears Clin Orthop Relat Res 254:64–74

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farley TE, Neumann CH, Steinbach LS, Petersen SA (1994) The coracoacromial arch: MR evaluation and correlation with rotator cuff pathology. Skeletal Radiol 23:641–645

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman RJ, Bonutti PM, Genez B (1998) Cine magnetic resonance imaging of the subcoracoid region. Orthopedics 21:545–548

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gaskin CM, Helms CA (2006) Parsonage-Turner syndrome: MR imaging findings and clinical information of 27 patients. Radiology 240:501–507

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gerber C, Sebesta A (2000) Impingement of the deep surface of the subscapularis tendon and the reflection pulley on the anterosuperior glenoid rim: a preliminary report. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 9:483–490

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giaroli EL, Major NM, Lemley DE, Lee J (2006) Coracohumeral interval imaging in subcoracoid impingement syndrome on MRI. AJR Am J Roentgenol 186:242–246

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giaroli EL, Major NM, Higgins LD (2005) MRI of internal impingement of the shoulder. AJR Am J Roentgenol 185:925–929

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goutallier D, Postel JM, Bernageau J et al (1994) Fatty muscle degeneration in cuff ruptures. Clin Orthop Rel Res 304:78–83

    Google Scholar 

  • Habermeyer P, Magosch P, Pritsch M et al (2004) Anterosuperior impingement of the shoulder as a result of pulley lesions: a prospective arthroscopic study. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 13:5–12

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jobe CM (1995) Posterior superior glenoid impingement: expanded spectrum. Arthroscopy 11:530–536

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan LD, McMahon PJ, Towers J (2004) Internal impingement: findings on magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopic evaluation. Arthroscopy 20:701–704

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kassarjian A, Bencardino JT, Palmer WE (2004) MR imaging of the rotator cuff. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 12:39–60

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kassarjian A, Torriani M, Ouelette H, Palmer WE (2005) Intramuscular rotator cuff cysts: association with tendon tears on MRI and arthroscopy. AJR Am J Roentgenol 180:160–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lo IK, Burkhart SS (2003) The etiology and assessment of subscapularis tendon tears: a case of subcoracoid impingement, the roller-wringer effect and TUFF lesions of the subscapularis. Arthroscopy 19:1142–1150

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morag Y, Jacobson JA, Shields G et al (2005) MR arthrography of rotator interval, long head of the biceps brachiii, and biceps pulley of the shoulder. Radiology 235:21–30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Neer CS 2nd (1983) Impingement lesions. Clin Orthop 173:70–77

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer WE, Brown JH, Rosenthal DI (1993) Rotator cuff evaluation with fat-suppressed MR arthrography. AJR Am J Roentgenol 188:683–687

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peh WC, Farmer TH, Totty WG (1995) Acromial arch shape: assessment with MR imaging. Radiology 195:501–505

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richards DP, Burkhart SS, Campbell SE (2005) Relationship between narrowed coracohumeral distance and subscapularis tears. Arthroscopy 21:1223–1228.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schaeffeler C, Mueller D, Kirchhoff C et al (2011) Tears at the rotator cuff footprint: prevalence and imaging characteristics in 305 MR arthrograms of the shoulder. Eur Radiol 21:1477–1484

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schaeffeler C, Waldt S, Holzapfel K et al (2012) Lesions of the biceps pulley: Diagnostic accuracy of MR arthrography of the shoulder and evaluation of established and new diagnostic criteria. Radiology 264:504–513

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tirman PFJ, Bost FW, Gravin GJ et al (1994) Posterosuperior glenoid impingement of the shoulder: findings at MR imaging and MR arthrography with arthroscopic correlation. Radiology 193:431–436

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tuite MJ, Petersen BD, Wise SM et al (2007) Shoulder MR arthrography of the posterior labrocapsular complex in overhead throwers with pathologic internal impingement and internal rotation deficit. Skeletal Radiol 36:495–502

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walch G, Boileau P, Noel E, Donell ST (1992) Impingement of the deep surface of the supraspinatus tendon on the posterior superior glenoid rim: an arthroscopic study. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 1:238–245

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waldt S, Bruegel M, Mueller D et al (2006) Rotator cuff tears: assessment with MR arthrography in 275 cases with arthroscopic correlation. Eur Radiol 17:491–498

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walz DM, Miller TT, Chen S, Hofman J (2007) MR imaging of delamination tears of the rotator cuff. Skeletal Radiol 36:411–416

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weishaupt D, Zanetti M, Tanner A et al (1999) Lesions of the reflection pulley of the long biceps tendon: MR arthrographic findings. Invest Radiol 34:463–469

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woertler K (2010) Shoulder injuries in overhead sports. Radiologe 50:453–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zanetti M, Weishaupt D, Gerber C, Hodler J (1998) Tendinopathy and rupture of the tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii muscle: evaluation with MR arthography. AJR Am J Roentgenol 170:1557–1561

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology and Imaging, Hospital for Special Surgery and Interventional Radiology, New York, NY, USA

    Theodore T. Miller

  2. Department of Diagnostic, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany

    Klaus Woertler

Authors
  1. Theodore T. Miller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Klaus Woertler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

    J. Hodler (Radiology) (Radiology)

  2. Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

    G. K. von Schulthess

  3. Kilchberg/Zurich, Switzerland

    Ch. L. Zollikofer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Italia

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Miller, T.T., Woertler, K. (2013). Shoulder: Rotator Cuff and Impingement Syndromes. In: Hodler, J., von Schulthess, G.K., Zollikofer, C.L. (eds) Musculoskeletal Diseases 2013–2016. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5292-5_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5292-5_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-5291-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-5292-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation