Received 4 March 2010; received in revised form 20 May 2010; accepted 2 June 2010. published online 22 July 2010.
Aim
To evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in painful hemiplegic shoulder (PHS) in hemiplegic post-stroke patients.
Materials and methods
Patients with hemiplegia following their first cerebrovascular accident who were admitted to the Sarah Network of Hospitals for Rehabilitation were studied. Forty-five patients with pain in the hemiplegic shoulder and 23 post-stroke patients without shoulder pain were investigated. MRI and radiographic findings of the hemiplegic and contralateral asymptomatic shoulders were evaluated.
Results
Some MRI findings were more frequent in PHS group, including synovial capsule thickening, synovial capsule enhancement, and enhancement in the rotator cuff interval.
Conclusions
Adhesive capsulitis was found to be a possible cause of PHS.
aDepartment of Radiology, Sarah Network of Hospitals for Rehabilitation, Fortaleza, Brazil
bDepartment of Radiology, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados, Brazil
cDepartment of Statistics, Sarah Network of Hospitals for Rehabilitation, Fortaleza, Brazil
Guarantor and correspondent: Daniel G.F. Távora, Department of Radiology, Sarah Network of Hospitals for Rehabilitation, Av. Juscelino Kubitschek, 4500, 60861-620 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Tel.: +55 85 3499 4659; fax: +55 85 3499 4879.
ABSTRACT