This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
MRI seen as useful adjunct method for diagnosis of tear grade in pectoralis major ruptures
In the diagnosis of the tear grade and the location of pectoralis major tendon ruptures, MRI proved to be a useful adjunct method, especially for patients with acute, tendon-bone and grade 3 tears, according to results.
Researchers compared the MRI scans of 36 operative cases of pectoralis major ruptures. The cases had detailed descriptions of tear location and grade with the operative findings for location, including tendon-bone junction or myotendinous junction, and tear grade 2 or 3.
Edward S. Chang
Results showed an MRI sensitivity of 1 for the diagnosis of complete grade 3 tears at the sternal head and clavicular head in acute ruptures, as well as a sensitivity of 0.93 for the diagnosis of tendon-bone tears at the sternal head and of 0.90 at the clavicular heads. Although researchers noted the sensitivity of MRI diminished with the diagnosis of myotendinous and grade 2 tears, sternal and clavicular head ruptures continued to have high specificity and negative predictive values. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.