HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Miniaci, A. Articles by Becker, E. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Miniaci, A. Articles by Becker, E. J. Related Collections Imaging Studies Baseball Anatomy

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Shoulder in Asymptomatic Professional Baseball Pitchers

Anthony Miniaci, MD, FRCSC^*,*, Anthony T. Mascia, MD, FRCPC, David C. Salonen, MD, FRCPC and Edna J. Becker, MD, FRCPC

^* Sports Medicine Program, Toronto, Canada, Department of Medical Imaging, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Anthony Miniaci, MD, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, 399 Bathurst Street ECW 1–036, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 2S8

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging findings in both shoulders of asymptomatic professional baseball pitchers. Fourteen pitchers who were without significant prior injury underwent a blinded clinical assessment and magnetic resonance imaging of both shoulders. All images were interpreted by two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists. The appearance of the rotator cuff tendons was graded, with additional evaluation of the biceps, labrum, and osseous structures. Ten athletes were found to have stable shoulders and painless full range of motion. Clinically, four athletes had at least a 40° loss in internal rotation as compared with the nonthrowing arm. There were no significant differences in magnetic resonance imaging findings of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons between the throwing and nonthrowing shoulders. The labrum was abnormal in 79% of the 28 shoulders. Enthesopathic changes of the posterior glenoid labrum were identified in the four pitchers who had loss of internal rotation. We conclude that unenhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the shoulder in asymptomatic high performance throwing athletes reveals abnormalities that may encompass a spectrum of "nonclinical" findings. These data can be useful in separating symptomatic pathologic findings from these variants. Enthesopathic changes of the posterior glenoid labrum in the throwing arm may represent an early Bennett-type lesion. The cause may be excessive traction on the posterior capsule during the pitching motion, with subclinical injury to this area.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. W. Wright, K. Steger-May, and S. E. Klein Radiographic Findings in the Shoulder and Elbow of Major League Baseball Pitchers Am. J. Sports Med., November 1, 2007; 35(11): 1839 - 1843. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Limpisvasti, N. S. ElAttrache, and F. W. Jobe Understanding Shoulder and Elbow Injuries in Baseball J. Am. Acad. Ortho. Surg., March 1, 2007; 15(3): 139 - 147. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. P. Krief and D. Huguet Shoulder Pain and Disability: Comparison with MR Findings. Am. J. Roentgenol., May 1, 2006; 186(5): 1234 - 1239. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Mitchell, A. Adebajo, E. Hay, and A. Carr Shoulder pain: diagnosis and management in primary care BMJ, November 12, 2005; 331(7525): 1124 - 1128. [Full Text] [PDF]