Anatomic and biometric study of the acromioclavicular joint by ultrasound

The aim of this study was to describe the normal ultrasound anatomy of acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) and to establish ultrasound biometric criteria of this joint. Thirty healthy volunteers (16 men, 14 women) underwent a bilateral ultrasound examination of the ACJ in both planes (superior, anterosuperior) by two different observers. Six measurements were evaluated on the ACJ. The morphological appearance was also studied. Five morphological types of the ACJ were identified. No significant biometric difference was found between the observers, the planes, the dominant and the non-dominant side, and between men and women (except for the deep joint space distance). However, the variability of the ACJ made this biometric study difficult. The maximum distance between the joint capsule and the deep joint space through the superior plane, seemed to be a reproducible measurement with the best confidence interval.