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ACROMIAL APOPHYSIOLYSIS OR APOPHYSITIS MRI FINDINGS
ACROMIAL APOPHYSIOLYSIS OR APOPHYSITIS MRI FINDINGS
WHAT IS ACROMIAL APOPHYSIOLYSIS
- Acromial apophysiolysis or acromial apophysitis is a Stress injury due to repetitive traction injury at the acromial apophysis.
- It results in instability at the apophysis and shoulder pain.
- People who have acromial apophysitis have a higher incidence of eventually developing an Os Acromiale.
WHAT'S NORMAL
- The acromion develops from 3 apophyses which progressively fuse by age 25.
- Â <25yo unfused apophysis is normal but there should be no bone marrow oedema around the apophysis.
- Â If >25yo and apophysis is unfused unfused = Os Acromiale. (Discussed this and how to find it in a previous post you can see HERE
3 MRI FINDINGS IN ACROMIAL APOPHYSIOLYSIS
- The apophysis has to be unfused. Â
- Oedema on both sides of the apophysis. Â
- +/- Cystic type change and cortical irregularity subjacent to growth plate.
THE TAKE AWAY
- It‘s normal to see an unfused apophysis until 18-25yo.
- But there should be no oedema, cortical irregularity or subcortical cyst formation.
- If present, these are signs of instability and apophysiolysis.
See the images below for what the MRI appearance of Acromial Apophysiolisis looks like.
ACROMIAL APOPHYSIOLYSIS OR APOPHYSITIS: VIEW IMAGES
Learn more about this condition and how to best report it in more detail in our Guided SHOULDER MRI Mini Fellowship.
Click on the image below for more information.
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