Risks of the Diagnostics of Synovitis of the Glenohumeral Articulation by means of the Ultrasound

The ultrasound method has its own risks and restrictions during the examination of synovitis of the glenohumeral articulation as all diagnostic methods in the area of the glenohumeral articulation have. Problems of the diagnostics consist in the fact that synovitis is not always connected with the presence of exudate in the glenohumeral articulation, and it has two reasons:

It can deal with “dry” synovitis without any presence of exudate

 

 

Under physiological circumstances the glenohumeral joint can communicate with periarticular structures through the apertures in the articular capsule. Sometimes through these apertures during the intensified pressure of a liquid at  exudation in the glenohumeral articulation  the repletion of parabursae  takes place in the area of the glenohumeral articulation. Because this bursa can be also seen during common ultrasound examination, the examination of the glenohumeral articulation in the axillary section, which is necessary for the diagnosis of hydrops, is left out. A liquid along the long head of biceps is also there at these states.

 

 

 

Procedure at Indefinite Ultrasound Findings of Possible Synovitis of the Glenohumeral Articulation

We believe that in the case of  an indefinite diagnosis on the ultrasound or a presence of clinic symptoms, which do not eliminate the glenohumeral synovitis, it is right to examine the patient by MRI or by arthroscopy which can give us other useful information, also of etiology of synovitis.