Radiological Evaluation of the Relationship Between Acromion Variations and Tear Types Observed in Rotator Cuff Tendons
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the relationship between specific tear types and anatomical variations of the acromion in patients with degenerative rotator cuff (RC) tendon tears using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: A total of 426 patients (aged 25–65) with degenerative RC tears identified via shoulder MRI between January and December 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. Acromion morphology was categorized using the Vanarthos and Monu classification (types I–IV). RC tear morphology was classified into six groups: articular-surface partial, bursal-surface partial, intratendinous, delamination, rim-rent, and full-thickness. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS v26.0 (p < 0.05). Results: Females comprised 67.4% of cases, and 93.2% were in the 41–65 age range. Type II acromion was the most frequent (76.8%). The most common lesion was the articular-surface partial tear (38.5%), while no rim-rent tears were detected. Tears primarily affected the m. supraspinatus (53.1%). No significant relationship was found between acromion types and tear morphology (p > 0.05). However, highly significant correlations were identified between tear type and tendon localization (p < 0.001), and between acromion type and gender (p < 0.05). Conclusion: No significant relationship exists between acromion morphology and specific RC tendon tear types. RC tear morphology is multifactorial and cannot be explained solely by acromion shape. Clinical evaluation and surgical planning should collectively consider tendon localization, biomechanical properties, and patient-specific factors.
Keywords
Acromion types, type II acromion, rotator cuff, rotator cuff tear, magnetic resonance imaging.
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