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Glenoid labrum

Last revised by Craig Hacking ◉ on 31 Jul 2024

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Knipe H, Hacking C, Mahmud A, et al. Glenoid labrum. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 21 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-27109

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-27109

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/27109?embed_domain=hackmd.io%2525252F%25252540yIPUAFeCSL2JsU8smR5nJQ%2525252Fbnjhjgjghjghjghfavicon.icofavicon.ico

rID:

27109

Article created:

21 Jan 2014, Henry Knipe ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.

View Henry Knipe's current disclosures

Last revised:

31 Jul 2024, Craig Hacking ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had the following disclosures:

Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)

These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.

View Craig Hacking's current disclosures

Revisions:

15 times, by 9 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Musculoskeletal

Sections:

Anatomy

Tags:

shoulder, scapula

The glenoid labrum is a fibrocartilaginous structure that attaches as a rim to the articular cartilage of the glenoid fossa and serves to deepen and increase the surface area of the glenoid. In this capacity, it acts as a static stabiliser of the glenohumeral joint, resisting anterior and posterior movement, and preventing dislocation and subluxation at the extremes of the range of motion ⁴.

The glenoid labrum is made of fibrocartilage, 3 mm thick and 4 mm wide although this is highly variable ⁴. On cross-section, the labrum can be triangular (more commonly) or round ⁴. Below the equatorial pole of the glenoid, the labrum becomes more rounded and smaller compared to superiorly where is more triangular in shape and larger.

Attachments

The glenoid labrum forms part of the periarticular fibre system that is continuous with the rotator interval as well as ⁴:

superiorly: tendon of the long head of biceps brachii
anteriorly: superior and (variably) middle glenohumeral ligaments
inferiorly: inferior glenohumeral ligament consisting of an anterior band, axillary pouch, and a posterior band

Blood supply

Arterial supply is from the ascending glenoid artery, branches of the suprascapular and circumflex scapular arteries, muscular branches of rotator cuff muscles, and anterior and posterior circumflex humeral arteries ⁵. Blood supply is also received from the underlying bony glenoid ⁵. The outer glenoid is vascular and the inner glenoid is avascular ⁴.

Radiographic features

The glenoid labrum can be described in two ways ⁴:

clock face
- 12 o'clock: superior
- 3 o'clock: anterior
- 6 o'clock: inferior
- 9 o'clock: posterior
segments
- superior
- anterosuperior
- anteroinferior
- inferior
- posteroinferior
- posterosuperior

Variant anatomy

variable cross-sectional shape: blunted, cleaved, notched or flat ⁴
medialised posterior labrum ⁴
glenoid labrum variants
variation in anterior capsulolabral insertion

Related pathology

glenoid labral tears

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Glenoid labrum

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data