Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of the correlation between calcific tendinitis and rotator cuff injury

Background This study aims to evaluate the incidence of calcific tendinitis (CaT) in rotator cuff tears (RCTs) and to assess the correlation between CaT and RCTs with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods The MRI of 108 patients with rotator cuff CaT admitted to our hospital from January 2019 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Another retrospective analysis was made of 108 patients with similar age, gender, occupation, and shoulder injury side to those in the first group. The incidence of RCTs and their correlation with CaT were assessed based on an MRI of shoulder joints. Results There was a statistical difference (p < 0.05) in the incidence of RCTs between the CaT group (23.4%) and the control group (37.2%). No significant difference was observed in the size of the RCTs between the two groups (P = 0.422). In the CaT group, 17.4% of patients had complete tears, compared with 26.3% in the control group. There was no significant correlation between the calcification site and RCTs in the CaT group, and only 3.7% of patients suffered calcification and a tear in the exact location of the same tendon (P > 0.05, r = 0.03). Conclusions Compared with patients with shoulder pain without CaT, patients with rotator cuff CaT suffered no increased risk of RCTs on MRI, so CaT and RCTs may have different pathological causes, and there is no significant correlation between the two.