Presentation
Left shoulder pain and limited movement.
Patient Data
A radiopaque nodule is observed in the soft tissue adjacent to the left proximal humerus, possibly indicating rotator cuff tendon calcification.
MRI reveals signal changes in the infraspinatus tendon with edema involving the tendon and the myotendinous junction, peritendinous fluid, and small low-signal foci on all pulse sequences, likely representing calcifications.
Mild degenerative changes are noted in the acromioclavicular joint.
The supraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor tendons show mild intratendinous signal changes (intermediate on T1, PDFS, and T2), suggesting mild tendinopathy.
A small amount of fluid is present in the subdeltoid bursa.
Case Discussion
The imaging findings and clinical symptoms are consistent with calcific tendinitis of the infraspinatus tendon.
Calcific tendinitis is a relatively common condition that frequently affects the rotator cuff due to calcium hydroxyapatite deposition within the tendon, with an occurrence rate of 80% in the supraspinatus, 15% in the infraspinatus, and 5% in the subscapularis tendon.
This is a self-limiting condition; however, several treatment options have been proposed to alleviate pain and restore mobility for patients, including:
oral analgesics/anti-inflammatory medications
local anesthetic or steroid injection under the acromion
barbotage (ultrasound-guided needling and lavage)
extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ECSW)
shoulder arthroscopy
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.