Discriminative Validity of Strain Elastography of the Supraspinatus Tendon

Discriminative Validity of Real-time Sonoelastography of the Supraspinatus Tendon: Comparison of Findings Between Patients With Supraspinatus Tendinopathy and Healthy Volunteers

This study aims at testing the discriminative validity of strain elastography in the normal and abnormal/pathological Supraspinatus tendon due to tendinopathy

The case-control trial will include 96 participants. 48 of them diagnosed with supraspinatus tendinopathy by MRI and 48 healthy subjects.

In this study the investigators will compare the outcome of tissue elasticity measured by sonoelastography, with MRI and conventional ultrasound.

Patients will be recruited through different radiology department and healthy volunteers will be recruited primarily through advertising in local newspapers and social media.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Body mass index < 30
• Symptomatic: Positive on 3/5 clinical tests (full can, empty can, resisted external rotation, neers, hawkins.
• Asymptomatic: No shoulder pain in the last year, negative on 5/5 clinical tests (full can, empty can, resisted external rotation, neers, hawkins).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Shoulder-fracture, operation and luxation, known-neuromuscular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, fibromyalgia, spondyloarthropathy and psychiatric disorders, pregnancy and inability to read and understand Danish. Biceps rupture, labrum lesions, supraspinatus tears (> 1/3 of the vertical tendon height) and calcifications (> 2 mm in length) (MRI).