Bicipital groove morphology on MRI has no correlation to intra-articular biceps tendon pathology

Background

Multiple authors have debated the contribution of intertubercular groove morphology to biceps tendon pathology. It has been proposed that the shallow groove, combined with the supertubercular ridge of Meyer, predisposes patients to bicipital disease. In this study we hypothesized that there would be a correlation between bicipital groove morphology and the intraoperative finding of biceps pathology.

Methods

Seventy-five consecutive patients (average age of 63) undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery had their biceps tendons and intertubercular groove morphologies prospectively evaluated on closed MRI T1 axial cut images. The opening angle and medial wall angle of the bicipital groove was measured for each patient. At the time of surgery, the biceps tendon was classified as normal, inflamed, partially ruptured, or ruptured and the findings correlated to the bicipital groove measurements.

Results

The average opening angle was 81° for normal biceps tendons and 77° for torn biceps tendons. The average medial wall angle was 47° for normal biceps tendons and 49° for torn biceps tendons. Using Chi-square analysis, we found no statistically significant correlation between the bicipital groove average opening angle and medial wall angle on MRI and intraoperative biceps tendon pathology.

Conclusion

This study does not support any correlation between intraarticular biceps tendon pathology and bicipital groove morphology.

Level of evidence: Level I, Testing Previously Developed Criteria in Consecutive Patients with a Universally Applied Gold Standard, Diagnosis Study

Keywords: Bicipital groove morphology, long head biceps tendon, tendinopathy, MRI correlation, shoulder arthroscopy