Huan-Chu Lo1, Sheng-Tsai Hung2, Duen-Pang Kuo3, Yen-Lin Chen3, Hung-Maan Lee2. 1. Department of Radiology, Tao-Yuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Defense Medical Center, Triservice General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: worenlo@ms46.hinet.net. 2. Othropaedic Department, Tao-Yuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan. 3. Department of Radiology, Tao-Yuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study investigated diffusion-weighted (DWI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an alternative to fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging (FS-T2WI) for assessment of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears (RCTs). METHODS: Patients with arthroscopy proven partial-thickness RCTs who also received MRI (FS-T2WI and DWI) before surgery were prospectively included. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to compare DWI vs. FS-T2WI using lesion-to-muscle signal intensity ratios. A cutoff point for predicting partial-thickness tears was determined using the Youden index. RESULTS: Included were 146 patients, with a mean age of 48.3 years (range, 19-86 years), of whom 43 had full-thickness RCTs, 67 had partial-thickness RCTs, and 36 had no tears. Areas under receiver operating characteristic curves for diagnosing partial-thickness tears were significantly higher for DWI (0.910) than for FS-T2WI (0.822, P = .016). Lesion-to-muscle signal intensity ratio cutoff values were 1.06 for DWI vs. 1.65 for FS-T2WI, respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy of DWI (89.1% [98 of 110] and 87.7% [128 of 146], respectively) for diagnosing partial-thickness and full-thickness tears were higher than for FS-T2WI (65.5% [72 of 110] and 72.6% [106 of 146], respectively). FS-T2WI, however, had higher specificity (94.4% [34 of 36]) than DWI (83.3% [30 of 36]). CONCLUSIONS: DWI is more accurate and sensitive than FS-T2WI for diagnosing partial-thickness RCTs.
BACKGROUND: This study investigated diffusion-weighted (DWI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an alternative to fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging (FS-T2WI) for assessment of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears (RCTs). METHODS:Patients with arthroscopy proven partial-thickness RCTs who also received MRI (FS-T2WI and DWI) before surgery were prospectively included. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to compare DWI vs. FS-T2WI using lesion-to-muscle signal intensity ratios. A cutoff point for predicting partial-thickness tears was determined using the Youden index. RESULTS: Included were 146 patients, with a mean age of 48.3 years (range, 19-86 years), of whom 43 had full-thickness RCTs, 67 had partial-thickness RCTs, and 36 had no tears. Areas under receiver operating characteristic curves for diagnosing partial-thickness tears were significantly higher for DWI (0.910) than for FS-T2WI (0.822, P = .016). Lesion-to-muscle signal intensity ratio cutoff values were 1.06 for DWI vs. 1.65 for FS-T2WI, respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy of DWI (89.1% [98 of 110] and 87.7% [128 of 146], respectively) for diagnosing partial-thickness and full-thickness tears were higher than for FS-T2WI (65.5% [72 of 110] and 72.6% [106 of 146], respectively). FS-T2WI, however, had higher specificity (94.4% [34 of 36]) than DWI (83.3% [30 of 36]). CONCLUSIONS: DWI is more accurate and sensitive than FS-T2WI for diagnosing partial-thickness RCTs.
Authors: Jacob G McPherson; Andrew C Smith; Daniel A Duben; Katie L McMahon; Marie Wasielewski; Todd B Parrish; James M Elliott Journal: BMC Musculoskelet Disord Date: 2018-12-06 Impact factor: 2.362