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Rotator cuff tears: should abduction and external rotation (ABER) positioning be performed before image acquisition? A CT arthrography study

  • Musculoskeletal
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Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the impact of abduction and external rotation (ABER) positioning performed before image acquisition on the assessment of rotator cuff tears.

Methods

Twenty-seven consecutive patients with clinically suspected rotator cuff tears underwent an initial CT arthrogram of the shoulder in neutral position, immediately followed by temporary ABER positioning, before a second CT acquisition in neutral position. Two observers blinded to potential pre-procedure ABER positioning independently analysed the randomly distributed images. Lesions were classified into partial-thickness (PT) and full-thickness (FT) tear subtypes. Lesion detection and measurements of pre- and post-ABER studies were compared.

Results

We found no influence of pre-test ABER positioning on FT detection or measurements. Every PT detected on pre-ABER study was also detected on post-ABER study (28/28 for reader 1, and 32/32 for reader 2). Seven and eight additional PT were found by readers 1 and 2, respectively, on post-ABER study. Lesion size increased after ABER in terms of area (P < 0.001 for both readers) and Ellman’s grade (P = 0.02 and 0.002 for reader 1 and 2, respectively).

Conclusion

ABER positioning before CT is associated with improved delineation of partial tears, a higher number of detected tears and modification of treatment planning.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité d’imagerie thoracique et cardiovasculaire, Hopital cardiologique du Haut-Lévêque, CHU Bordeaux, Pessac, France

    Hubert Cochet

  2. Unité d’imagerie ostéo-articulaire, Hopital Pellegrin, CHU Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

    Stephane Couderc, Eric Pelé, Marie-Hélène Moreau-Durieux & Olivier Hauger

  3. Unité d’imagerie ostéo-articulaire, CHU Archet, Nice, France

    Nicolas Amoretti

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  1. Hubert Cochet
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  2. Stephane Couderc
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Correspondence to Hubert Cochet.

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Cochet, H., Couderc, S., Pelé, E. et al. Rotator cuff tears: should abduction and external rotation (ABER) positioning be performed before image acquisition? A CT arthrography study. Eur Radiol 20, 1234–1241 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1635-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1635-8

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