Rim rent tear of the supraspinatus tendon

Case contributed by Bálint Botz
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Clinically suspected left-sided rotator cuff injury.

Patient Data

Age: 70 years
Gender: Male
  • an about 4 mm long partial tear immediately adjacent to the supraspinatus tendon insertion on the articular side, demonstrating fluid signal (best seen on coronal PD FS)

  • resultant patchy bone marrow edema in the greater tubercle (see rewindowed PD FS image)

  • subtle hyperintense band-like signal change in the intraarticular part of the biceps long head tendon, which does not reach the labral insertion

Annotated image

Magnified key images highlighting the supraspinatus tendon tear and adjacent bone marrow edema. 

Case Discussion

Findings are in line with an incomplete tear at the supraspinatus tendon attachment (rim rent tear/ partial articular surface tendon avulsion - PASTA) and a possible discrete biceps long head tendon split tear. 

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