Evaluation of rotator cuff tendinopathies and tears with high-resolution ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging correlation

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of high-resolution ultrasonography (USG) in the evaluation of rotator cuff tendinopathies and tears with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) correlation to determine its sensitivity and specificity. Materials and Methods: The prospective study was conducted on 40 patients referred to the Department of Radiology for the evaluation of rotator cuff pathologies over a period of 18 months. All the patients underwent high-frequency USG followed by MRI. Variables such as sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), positive predictive value (PPV), and accuracy of high-frequency USG and MRI were evaluated. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV, and accuracy of high-frequency USG in the evaluation of rotator cuff pathologies in comparison to MRI as standard were 90.6%, 87.5%, 96.6%, 70%, and 90%, respectively. Conclusion: High-frequency USG is almost equally sensitive and specific as MRI for the diagnosis of rotator cuff pathologies, and due to its cost-effectiveness, easy affordability, ease of evaluating contralateral shoulder, more patient compliance, noninvasiveness, and wider applications, we recommend it to be used as a primary modality for evaluating rotator cuff. MRI should be performed in case some extra information is required.