Sonography in soft-tissue trauma of the shoulder

Abstract

Seventy-five patients with soft-tissue trauma in the shoulder region were examined by ultrasonography. Normal conditions were found in 21 patients, distension of the acromioclavicular joint in 17, muscle hematoma or edema in 9, biceps tendinitis in 8, hematoma or partial rupture of the biceps tendon in 5, rupture of the biceps tendon in 1, and supraspinatus tendinitis or partial rupture in 14. A correlation was found between the sonography and clinical course; normal sonography was consistent with recovery in less than 1 week, whereas patients with pathologic changes in the supraspinatus or biceps tendon generally had symptoms for at least 1 month. We concluded that sonography is a useful diagnostic tool for evaluation of soft-tissue trauma in the shoulder.