[The value of MR tomography in acute shoulder dislocations]

24 patients up to two weeks after primary traumatic shoulder dislocation were examined at 0.5 and 1.5 T. Surgical and/or arthroscopic correlation was available in 13, CT-arthrographic correlation in 16 patients. A joint effusion allowing sufficient evaluation of the capsulolabral complex was present in 21/24 (87.5%) cases. 11/14 patients with combined dislocated detachments of the glenoid labrum and capsular lesions were subsequently operated upon. Marrow edema of the humeral head was found in 16/19 Hill-Sachs lesions and in 4/5 fractures of the greater tuberosity. Two patients presented with a lesion of the long biceps tendon associated with rotator cuff tears and were also subsequently operated upon. MRI performed shortly after primary traumatic shoulder dislocation allows a comprehensive evaluation of the intraarticular lesions and decisively influences further therapy.