Clinical impact of including the shoulder joint in coronal-short TI inversion recovery sequence in a routine cervical spine MRI

IF 2.8 Q2 RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING

Radiography Pub Date : 2025-08-25 DOI:10.1016/j.radi.2025.103119

B. Shetty , D.B. Shetty , N. Kumari , A. Barre

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction

Clinical and pathological conditions of the cervical spine and shoulder often overlap due to anatomical proximity and shared neural pathways, hindering accurate identification of the pain source in patients with concurrent neck and shoulder symptoms. This study evaluated whether including the shoulder joints in coronal Short TI Inversion Recovery (STIR) sequences during cervical spine MRI improves diagnostic outcomes.

Methods

This prospective observational study included 116 patients with non-traumatic neck and/or shoulder symptoms. Cervical spine MRI was performed using a phased-array spine coil with routine sagittal and axial T1-and T2-weighted sequences, supplemented by a coronal STIR sequence with expanded field of view (FOV; 360–400 mm), angulated inferolaterally to include both shoulders. STIR parameters included repetition time: 2900 ms, echo time: 41 ms, inversion time: 140 ms, echo train length: 12, bandwidth: 19.23 Hz, slice thickness: 3 mm, slice gap: 3 mm, frequency: 128, phase: 192, excitation number: 3, and scan time: 2.2 min.

Results

Shoulder abnormalities were detected in 32 patients (27.6 %) with fluid in the rotator cuff region (n = 22), subcoracoid bursae (n = 4), glenohumeral joint (n = 2), and acromioclavicular joint (n = 3). One patient had fluid adjacent to the shoulder, associated with tubercular lymphadenitis.

Conclusion

Including shoulder joints in the coronal STIR sequence during cervical spine MRI can help identify pain sources more accurately, helping in accurate diagnosis and effective patient management.

Implications for practice

Incorporating shoulder joints in the coronal STIR sequence of cervical spine MRI enhances diagnostic efficiency for overlapping neck and shoulder symptoms. This may enable physicians to manage cases more effectively, save time, and potentially reduce the need for further imaging investigations in some cases.

查看原文本刊更多论文

在常规颈椎MRI中纳入肩关节冠状-短TI反转恢复序列的临床影响

由于解剖上的接近和共享的神经通路，颈椎和肩部的临床和病理情况经常重叠，阻碍了颈肩并发症状患者疼痛来源的准确识别。本研究评估了颈椎MRI中包括肩关节的冠状短TI反转恢复（STIR）序列是否能改善诊断结果。方法本前瞻性观察研究纳入116例无创伤性颈部和/或肩部症状的患者。颈椎MRI采用相控阵脊柱螺旋，采用常规矢状和轴向t1和t2加权序列，辅以扩大视野（FOV; 360-400 mm）的冠状STIR序列，在外侧内成角，包括双肩。STIR参数包括：重复时间2900 ms，回波时间41 ms，反演时间140 ms，回波序列长度12，带宽19.23 Hz，切片厚度3 mm，切片间隙3 mm，频率128，相位192，激励数3，扫描时间2.2 min。结果肩关节异常32例（27.6%），其中肩袖区积液22例，喙下滑囊积液4例，盂肱关节积液2例，肩锁关节积液3例。1例患者肩部附近有积液，伴结核性淋巴结炎。结论颈椎MRI时将肩关节纳入冠状位STIR序列有助于更准确地识别疼痛来源，有助于准确诊断和有效的患者管理。在颈椎MRI冠状位STIR序列中纳入肩关节可提高对颈肩重叠症状的诊断效率。这可能使医生更有效地管理病例，节省时间，并可能减少在某些情况下进一步影像学检查的需要。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Radiography RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING-

CiteScore

4.70

自引率

34.60%

发文量

169

审稿时长

63 days

期刊介绍： Radiography is an International, English language, peer-reviewed journal of diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy. Radiography is the official professional journal of the College of Radiographers and is published quarterly. Radiography aims to publish the highest quality material, both clinical and scientific, on all aspects of diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy and oncology.