Radiographic diagnosis of biceps tendinitis

The radiographic findings and arthrographic image of the intertubercular groove and the biceps tendon were analysed in 143 patients with chronic shoulder pain. Forty-eight patients had been operated on, and of these 33 had tendinitis, caused by attrition in a narrow intertubercular groove in 17 cases, by medial dislocation of the biceps tendon in 11 cases, and by impingement associated with rupture of the rotator cuff in five cases. Plain radiographs revealed degenerative changes in the walls of the groove in half of the patients with biceps tendinitis. A shallow groove was seen in cases of medial dislocation of the biceps tendon, but also in many with a normal tendon. The arthrogram, however, showed whether a shallow groove was associated with dislocation of the tendon. In patients with attrition tendinitis the groove had a depth of 4.8 mm or more or an inclination of the medial wall of 58 degrees or more. Radiographic measurements of the dimensions of the intertubercular groove may provide valuable information on the state of the biceps tendon.