A rotator cuff tear is a disruption of one or more of the four rotator cuff tendons, most commonly the supraspinatus. Tears can be partial (affecting only part of the tendon thickness) or full (extending completely through). They may result from acute injury or develop gradually from chronic wear and degeneration. On ultrasound, a full-thickness tear appears as a hypoechoic or anechoic defect extending through the entire thickness of the tendon, and the torn edges may retract, creating a gap. Partial tears appear as focal areas of abnormal echotexture within the tendon without complete disruption. Associated findings may include fluid in the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa, irregularity of the humeral head cortex, and retraction of the muscle belly. Ultrasound has been shown to have accuracy comparable to MRI for diagnosing rotator cuff tears, with the added advantages of real-time dynamic assessment and lower cost.
Sonography Term