Shoulder MRI

Native 3T MRI of a single shoulder assessing the rotator cuff tendons, glenoid labrum, biceps tendon, and glenohumeral joint. Optimised imaging planes for rotator cuff tear grading.

The shoulder MRI at Private Access Wien uses the 3 Tesla Siemens MAGNETOM Verio with a dedicated shoulder coil and imaging planes aligned to the supraspinatus tendon axis for optimal rotator cuff visualisation. The oblique coronal, oblique sagittal, and axial planes together cover the full anatomy of the glenohumeral joint, subacromial space, acromioclavicular joint, and bicipital groove. The radiologist evaluates each rotator cuff tendon individually — supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis — and grades any tendinopathy, partial-thickness tears (articular surface, bursal surface, intratendinous), or full-thickness tears including measurement of retraction distance and degree of fatty infiltration in the muscle belly. The glenoid labrum is assessed for superior SLAP lesions and anterior/posterior Bankart lesions. Subacromial bursal fluid, acromioclavicular arthropathy, and shoulder instability-related changes are also documented. At 3T, fat-suppressed T2-weighted sequences reliably separate tendon oedema and partial tears from surrounding tissue, which is particularly important for clinical decision-making between conservative physiotherapy and surgical repair. The Siemens MAGNETOM Verio's 70-centimetre bore allows comfortable arm positioning without claustrophobia concerns. Shoulder MRI is commonly requested after failed physiotherapy for persistent pain, after dislocation episodes for post-instability structural assessment, and as pre-operative planning before rotator cuff repair or labral stabilisation.