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Updated: Mar 30, 2026
Measuring 3D In-vivo Shoulder Kinematics using Biplanar Videoradiography
Published on: March 12, 2021
Evaluation of the coracoid and coracoacromial arch geometry on Thiel-embalmed cadavers using the three-dimensional
Mohammad A Alobaidy1, Roger W Soames2
1Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID), University of Dundee, Dundee, UK; Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Background:
Understanding the geometry of the coracoid and coracoacromial arch will improve surgical intervention in shoulder surgery.
Methods:
Thirty pairs of scapulae from 20 female and 10 male deceased donors, average age of 82 years (range, 62-101 years), were scanned and measurements taken using the 3-dimensional (3D) MicroScribe digitizer (Immersion Corp, San Jose CA, USA) and Rhino software (McNeel North America, Seattle, WA, USA).
Results:
The following mean angles were determined: coracoid slope, 44° ± 11°; coracoid deviation, 35° ± 6°; coracoid root to glenoid, 115° ± 14°; coracoid head to glenoid, 110° ± 11°; scapular spine angle, 35° ± 6°; and coracoacromial angle, 63° ± 9°. The following mean distances were also determined: coracoid height, 10 ± 3 mm; coracoacromial distance, 42 ± 7 mm; coracoacromial arch height, 20 ± 5 mm; and coracoid (anterior, 29 ± 6 mm; middle, 20 ± 4 mm; posterior tip, 18 ± 6 mm) to the glenoid fossa. The coracoid root-to-glenoid angle was significantly correlated with the coracoacromial angle. In addition, coracoid slope was significantly correlated with coracoid root-to-glenoid angle and also with coracoid deviation. Left shoulders had a significantly higher coracoid-to-glenoid angle (P < .029) than right shoulders. Women had a significantly higher coracoid root-to-glenoid angle than men (P < .042), and men had a significantly higher coracoid deviation (P < .011), anterior (P < .006) and posterior coracoid-to-glenoid distances (P < .03), and coracoacromial arch height (P < .07) than women.
Conclusions:
This is the first time that the 3D MicroScribe digitizer has been used to evaluate the geometry of the coracoacromial arch and coracoid process.
