The bicipital groove: radiographic, anatomic, and pathologic study.

By using patient radiographs and pathologic specimens, the bicipital groove of the humerus was studied to determine the normal configuration and common abnormalities of this region. Factors analyzed in evaluating the bicipital groove included the medial wall angle, depth and width of the intertubercular sulcus, and presence or absence of bony spurs arising from the floor or medial wall of the groove. The supratubercular ridge was observed as an osseous protuberance in about one-half of the population; it does not seem to be of pathologic significance. A specific radiographic projection is described, which allows evaluation of the bicipital groove.