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Adhesive capsulitis - shoulder

Case contributed by Nick Tarasov
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

The left shoulder chronic pain, greatly restricted range of motion.

Patient Data

Age: 50 years
Gender: Female

Soft tissue mass with T1 shortening located at the antero-inferior part of the joint with axillar recess thickening.

Note a thickening of the coracohumeral ligament and subcoracoid triangle sign.

Tissue swelling surrounding the long head of the biceps tendon between the supraspinatus and subscapularis tendons.

Small amount of the joint effusion.

Tendons of the rotator cuff seems unremarkable.

Annotated image

Subcoracoid triangle fat T2 hyperintensity reflecting the presence of pathologic tissue.

Case Discussion

Over the past several months the patient's shoulder had a reduced range of motion. The patient has a long history of smoking and also has thyroid disease. Adhesive capsulitis was suspected only by history and clinical exam. MRI findings were supportive of the diagnosis.

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