Imaging Diagnosis of Shoulder Girdle Fractures

Shoulder Dislocations: A Dedicated Search Strategy for Important Radiographic Signs

“…Approximately 15% to 25% of anterior dislocations are associated with greater tuberosity fractures, usually occurring adjacent to a Hill-Sachs lesion [1,13]. These fractures may be comminuted or displaced (Figure 5).…”

“…Seizures may result in bilateral dislocations. There are three types: subacromial (the most common at about 98%), as well as the infrequently occurring subglenoid and subspinous types [1]. About 50% of posterior shoulder dislocations are not recognized on initial inspection usually owing to subtle radiographic findings.…”

“…CT is usually required for confirmation particularly when the fragment is small. Additionally, approximately 25% of patients with a posterior dislocation will present with a lesser tuberosity fracture and rotator cuff tears (Figure 8) [1,18]. Rarely, the shaft of the humerus may also fracture [19].…”

“…Because the diagnosis may be elusive in some cases, there are important radiographic observations that may be indicative of a posterior shoulder dislocation [1,6]. The rim sign indicates widening of the glenohumeral joint space in excess of 6 mm (Figure 9).…”

“…The glenohumeral (GH) joint is the most commonly dislocated joint in the human body and accounts for over 50% of all dislocations. These injuries occur most frequently in young males in the setting of trauma [1]. Despite their frequency, important secondary signs of anterior dislocation (such as impaction defects of the humeral head and glenoid rim fractures) are often subtle and easily missed without a dedicated search strategy.…”