Injuries of anterior glenoid labrum: evaluation with MR arthrography

Objective: To determine the diagnostic value of shoulder MR arthrography in revealing the injuries of anterior glenoid labrum, and to compare MR arthrography with arm in neutral position with MR arthrography with arm in abduction and external rotation (ABER) position. Methods: MR arthrography of the shoulder, including additional oblique axial sequences with the patient in the ABER position, was performed in 44 patients. The injuries of anterior glenoid labrum of these patients were retrospectively evaluated. The result was compared with that of arthroscopy. Results: For displaying the abnormalities of anterior glenoid labrum, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of axial MR images with arm in neutral position were 79.3% (23/29), 100% (15/15), and 86.4% (38/44), respectively. While the results of ABER position oblique axial images were 93.1%(27/29), 100%(15/15), and 95.5% (42/44), respectively. The difference of sensitivity between axial and ABER-position scans was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: MB arthrography with shoulder in the ABER position is more sensitive than conventional axial scanning in diagnosing the injuries of anterior glenoid labrum. (authors)