Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: Current Concepts on the Diagnostic Work-Up and Evidence-Based Protocol for Radiological Evaluation
Adhesive capsulitis is an idiopathic and disabling disorder characterized by intense shoulder pain and progressive limitation of active and passive glenohumeral joint range of motion. Although adhesive capsulitis has been traditionally considered a diagnosis of exclusion that can be established base...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/22/3410 |
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| author | Riccardo Picasso Federico Pistoia Federico Zaottini Giovanni Marcenaro Maribel Miguel-Pérez Alberto Stefano Tagliafico Carlo Martinoli |
| author_facet | Riccardo Picasso Federico Pistoia Federico Zaottini Giovanni Marcenaro Maribel Miguel-Pérez Alberto Stefano Tagliafico Carlo Martinoli |
| author_sort | Riccardo Picasso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adhesive capsulitis is an idiopathic and disabling disorder characterized by intense shoulder pain and progressive limitation of active and passive glenohumeral joint range of motion. Although adhesive capsulitis has been traditionally considered a diagnosis of exclusion that can be established based on a suggestive medical history and the detection of supporting findings at the physical exam, imaging studies are commonly requested to confirm the diagnostic suspicion and to exclude other causes of shoulder pain. Indeed, clinical findings may be rather unspecific, and may overlap with diseases like calcific tendinitis, rotator cuff pathology, acromioclavicular or glenohumeral arthropathy, autoimmune disorders, and subacromial/subdeltoid bursitis. Magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance arthrography, and high-resolution ultrasound have shown high sensitivity and accuracy in diagnosing adhesive capsulitis through the demonstration of specific pathological findings, including thickening of the joint capsule and of the coracohumeral ligament, fibrosis of the subcoracoid fat triangle, and extravasation of gadolinium outside the joint recesses. This narrative review provides an updated analysis of the current concepts on the role of imaging modalities in patients with adhesive capsulitis, with the final aim of proposing an evidence-based imaging protocol for the radiological evaluation of this condition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:53:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-79f2df6ddb5c41fc8c2a27d2f31cd45e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:53:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-79f2df6ddb5c41fc8c2a27d2f31cd45e2023-11-24T14:37:29ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182023-11-011322341010.3390/diagnostics13223410Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: Current Concepts on the Diagnostic Work-Up and Evidence-Based Protocol for Radiological EvaluationRiccardo Picasso0Federico Pistoia1Federico Zaottini2Giovanni Marcenaro3Maribel Miguel-Pérez4Alberto Stefano Tagliafico5Carlo Martinoli6IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16145 Genova, Liguria, ItalyIRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16145 Genova, Liguria, ItalyIRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16145 Genova, Liguria, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Università di Genova, Via Antonio Pastore 1, 16132 Genova, Liguria, ItalyUnidad de Anatomía y Embriología Humana, Departamento de Patología y Terapéutica Experimental, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud (Campus de Bellvitge), Universitat de Barcelona, 08904 Barcelona, SpainIRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16145 Genova, Liguria, ItalyIRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16145 Genova, Liguria, ItalyAdhesive capsulitis is an idiopathic and disabling disorder characterized by intense shoulder pain and progressive limitation of active and passive glenohumeral joint range of motion. Although adhesive capsulitis has been traditionally considered a diagnosis of exclusion that can be established based on a suggestive medical history and the detection of supporting findings at the physical exam, imaging studies are commonly requested to confirm the diagnostic suspicion and to exclude other causes of shoulder pain. Indeed, clinical findings may be rather unspecific, and may overlap with diseases like calcific tendinitis, rotator cuff pathology, acromioclavicular or glenohumeral arthropathy, autoimmune disorders, and subacromial/subdeltoid bursitis. Magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance arthrography, and high-resolution ultrasound have shown high sensitivity and accuracy in diagnosing adhesive capsulitis through the demonstration of specific pathological findings, including thickening of the joint capsule and of the coracohumeral ligament, fibrosis of the subcoracoid fat triangle, and extravasation of gadolinium outside the joint recesses. This narrative review provides an updated analysis of the current concepts on the role of imaging modalities in patients with adhesive capsulitis, with the final aim of proposing an evidence-based imaging protocol for the radiological evaluation of this condition.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/22/3410adhesive capsulitisfrozen shoulderMRIMRAultrasound |
| spellingShingle | Riccardo Picasso Federico Pistoia Federico Zaottini Giovanni Marcenaro Maribel Miguel-Pérez Alberto Stefano Tagliafico Carlo Martinoli Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: Current Concepts on the Diagnostic Work-Up and Evidence-Based Protocol for Radiological Evaluation Diagnostics adhesive capsulitis frozen shoulder MRI MRA ultrasound |
| title | Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: Current Concepts on the Diagnostic Work-Up and Evidence-Based Protocol for Radiological Evaluation |
| title_full | Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: Current Concepts on the Diagnostic Work-Up and Evidence-Based Protocol for Radiological Evaluation |
| title_fullStr | Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: Current Concepts on the Diagnostic Work-Up and Evidence-Based Protocol for Radiological Evaluation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: Current Concepts on the Diagnostic Work-Up and Evidence-Based Protocol for Radiological Evaluation |
| title_short | Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: Current Concepts on the Diagnostic Work-Up and Evidence-Based Protocol for Radiological Evaluation |
| title_sort | adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder current concepts on the diagnostic work up and evidence based protocol for radiological evaluation |
| topic | adhesive capsulitis frozen shoulder MRI MRA ultrasound |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/22/3410 |
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