MRI for the diagnosis of scapular dyskinesis: a report of two cases

Scapular dyskinesis describes the altered position of the scapula and/or abnormal movements of the scapulothoracic joint. It is caused by bony anatomical variations, bursitis, tumors, and muscular pathological conditions including loss of innervation and fibrosis. Scapular dyskinesis is just as often subclinical as it is symptomatic, and as the periscapular anatomical changes may not result in patient symptoms, a precise diagnosis of the etiology and pathophysiology has been a challenge. Scapular bony prominence is a common etiology of scapular dyskinesis, but does not always result in morbidity. We report a case of a 39-year-old man in whom an extensive MRI with fluid-sensitive imaging sequences covering the whole of the scapula was beneficial in diagnosing the inflammation adjacent to the bony deformity, which confirmed the etiology of scapular dyskinesis. Furthermore, in a 41-year old man without any anatomical variances, a similar MRI showed inflammation at the subscapular fossa that suggested altered scapular kinematics. An arthroscopic debridement of the lesion improved the symptoms. MRI in conjunction with plain radiographs, CT and physical examination enabled a precise diagnosis of the etiology. Fluid-sensitive MR images are important in defining the presence of inflammation, and are beneficial in determining the pathological significance of findings through other diagnostic measures.