MR imaging of the common shoulder abnormalities

Shoulder disorders mainly involve rotator cuff diseases and shoulder instability. For rotator cuff diseases, routine shoulder MR imaging as the first choice can solve most of the problems in practice. For shoulder instability and related glenoid labrum lesions, shoulder MR arthrography is the first selection for evaluation. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the MR appearances of several common shoulder abnormalities, including the sub-acromial shoulder impingement syndrome, rotator cuff degeneration, partial-thickness and full-thickness rotator cuff tears, anterior instability, superior labrum antero-posterior tears, biceps related disorders, calcific tendinitis and bursitis, and adhesive capsulitis.