This study aims at assessment of role of ultrasonography as an available, cheap, easy and valuable diagnostic aid in detecting soft tissue disorders, especially of the small parts of the body including the shoulder. The four tendons of the rotator cuff (Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor & Subscapularis) are vulnerable for injury with frequent use of the shoulder especially in thrower athletes and with advancing age.
In this work, 36 patients (20 males & 16 females) were chosen being suffering from pain in the shoulder (either interrupted or continuous) with or without limitation of movement of the affected shoulder. Plain X-ray and ultrasonography were made to affected shoulders of all cases.
X-ray revealed calcification of some shoulder tendons in some cases, while ultrasonography displayed some labral and tendon disorders (e.g. focal tendon non-visualization, labral and tendon tear, abnormal echogenicity and other disorders).
Ultrasonography is proved as a preliminary diagnostic tool for assessment of rotator cuff disorders. This methodology is considered the easiest, fastest, cheapest, most available, most tolerable and least invasive method than MRI. Its biggest limitations are low experience, long duration of learning, less acceptance by orthopedic surgeons and lack of detailed information about different lesions that may be associated with or mimics RC lesions (such as muscle changes following nerve injuries).