Acromion Morphology of Patients with Rotator Cuff Disease in Standard AP Shoulder Radiograph in Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah and Hospital Kuala Lumpur

INTRODUCTION: Rotator cuff pathology is commonly attributed to acromion morphology that is demonstrable in standard AP shoulder radiographs by measuring the critical shoulder angle (CSA), the lateral acromial angle (LAA), and the acromial index (AI). However, these parameters vary among races and countries. Therefore, our study aimed to get the local data on acromion morphology in patients with rotator cuff disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRI shoulder reports between January 2012 and June 2018 were reviewed. The study group consisted of 47 patients with rotator cuff injury with a partial or complete tear, and a control group of 37 patients with tendinitis or osteoarthritis and intact rotator cuffs. The CSA, LAA, and AI of both groups were measured on the anteroposterior shoulder radiograph. The risk factors for both groups and the acromion morphology were recorded.

RESULTS: The CSA for the rotator cuff tear and the control group was 39.08° and 38.28°, LAA was 72.57 ° and 73.51°, and AI was 0.79 and 0.75. The acromion morphology differed in terms of gender, and only LAA was different among the different ethnic groups. There was a negative correlation between age and CSA, age and AI, LAA and CSA, LAA and AI, but a positive correlation between AI and CSA.

CONCLUSION: The CSA for rotator cuff tear patients in our population was 39.08°, LAA was 72.57°, and AI was 0.79. The acromion morphology was significantly influenced by age and gender.