Glenoid labrum
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. In this capacity, it acts as a static stabilizer of the glenohumeral joint, preventing dislocation and subluxation at the extremes of range of motion.
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Gross anatomy
The glenoid labrum is approximately 4 mm thick and is round or triangular in cross section.
Attachments
The capsule of the glenohumeral joint attaches to the glenoid labrum. The glenoid labrum is continuous with:
- superiorly: tendon of the long head of biceps brachii
- anteriorly:
- anterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament
- middle glenohumeral ligament (variably)
Blood supply and innervation
The outer glenoid is vascular and the inner glenoid is avascular 4. See glenohumeral joint for further details of named vessels and nerves.
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
Related pathology
Related Radiopaedia articles
Anatomy: Upper limb
-
skeleton of the upper limb
- clavicle
- scapula
- humerus
- radius
- ulna
- carpal bones (mnemonic)
- metacarpals
- phalanges
- accessory ossicles of the upper limb
- accessory ossicles of the shoulder
- accessory ossicles of the elbow
-
accessory ossicles of the wrist (mnemonic)
- os centrale carpi
- os epilunate
- os styloideum
- os hamuli proprium
- lunula
- os triangulare
- trapezium secondarium
- os paratrapezium
- os radiostyloideum (persistent radial styloid)
- joints of the upper limb
-
shoulder joint
- articulations
- associated structures
-
movements
- scapular retraction (adduction)
- scapular protraction (abduction)
- scapular elevation
- scapular depression
- arm abduction
- arm adduction
- arm flexion
- arm extension
- arm internal rotation (medial)
- arm external rotation (lateral)
- blood supply - scapular anastomosis
- ossification centers
-
elbow joint
- proximal radioulnar joint
- ligaments
- associated structures
- movements
- alignment
- blood supply - elbow anastomosis
- development
-
wrist joint
- articulations
-
ligaments
- intrinsic ligaments
- extrinsic ligaments
- associated structures
- extensor retinaculum
- flexor retinaculum
- joint capsule
- movements
- alignment
- ossification
-
hand joints
- articulations
- carpometacarpal joint
-
metacarpophalangeal joint
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
-
interphalangeal joint
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
- movements
- articulations
-
shoulder joint
- spaces of the upper limb
- muscles of the upper limb
- shoulder girdle
- anterior compartment of the arm
- posterior compartment of the arm
- anterior compartment of the forearm
- posterior compartment of the forearm (extensors)
-
hand (mnemonic)
- intrinsic muscles of the hand
- thenar muscles
- hypothenar muscles
- palmaris brevis
- intermediate muscles
- accessory muscles
- blood supply to the upper limb
-
arteries
- subclavian artery (mnemonic)
- axillary artery
- brachial artery (proximal portion)
- ulnar artery
- radial artery
- veins
-
arteries
- innervation of the upper limb
- intercostobrachial nerve
-
brachial plexus (mnemonic)
- branches from the roots
- branches from the trunks
- branches from the cords
- lateral cord
- posterior cord
- medial cord
- terminal branches
- lymphatic drainage of the upper limb
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