Association of post-stroke shoulder pain and MRI features

Abstract

ObjectiveTo explore the features of magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） on post-stroke shoulder pain （PSSP） and the influencing factors of PSSP, in order to provide a basis for precise treatment of PSSP. MethodsA total of 83 PSSP patients were selected, who were treated and underwent MRI of the shoulder joint of the affected limb in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from June 2017 to March 2022. MRI features were observed among different genders, ages and hemiplegic sides to analyze the associations of age, onset time and MRI characteristics with the degree of shoulder pain. ResultsMRI showed that there were 65 cases （78.31%） of supraspinatus tendon injuries, 11 cases （13.25%） of infraspinatus tendon injuries, 29 cases （34.94%） of subscapularis tendon injuries, 3 cases （3.61%） of teres minor tendon injuries, 65 cases （78.31%） of biceps brachii longus tendon sheath hydrops, 28 cases （33.73%） of humeral head medullary edema, 75 cases （86.75%） of shoulder articular capsule hydrops, 8 cases （9.64%） of synovial thickening and 1 case （1.20%） of ossifying myositis. The incidence of supraspinatus tendon injury in elderly patients was significantly higher than that in younger patients （P＜0.05）. The incidences of injuries to the supraspinatus muscle tendon and subscapularis muscle tendon and biceps tendon sheath effusion (tenosynovitis) in the patients with cerebral infarction were significantly higher than those in the patients with cerebral hemorrhage （P＜0.05）. There were no significant associations of age and MRI features with pain degree （P＞0.05）, however, the onset time of PSSP was positively correlated with pain degree （P＜0.05）. ConclusionShoulder joint articular effusion, biceps tendon sheath effusion （tenosynovitis） and supraspinatus tendon injury are the three most common features of MRI. These injuries are more likely to develop in elderly patients and the patients with cerebral infarction. The later the onset of shoulder pain occurs, the more intense the pain becomes.

Keywords

• post-stroke shoulder pain
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• features
• pain