A computed tomography study on the correlation between the morphometry of the suprascapular notch and anthropometric measurements of the scapula

Background: The suprascapular notch is a clinically important site because it is the main site of injury and compression of the suprascapular nerve. Its shape and size are the most important factors in the aetiopathology of suprascapular nerve neuropathy. This article reports the first computed topography (CT) study on the correlation between the diameters of the suprascapular notch and anthropometric measurements of the human scapula. Materials and methods: A total of 130 scans of shoulders by a helical 32-row multidetector CT scanner were retrospectively analysed. The following scapular measurements were performed: morphological length, morphological width, projection length of the scapular spine, maximal width of the scapular spine, length of the acromion, maximal length of the coracoid process, length of the superior border of the scapula, morphological height of the supraspinous fossa, length of the lateral border of the scapula, and morphological height of infraspinous fossa. The following suprascapular notch dimensions were measured: maximal depth, superior transverse diameter, middle transverse diameter. Results: The maximum depth of the suprascapular notch correlates with the morphological length of the scapula, the length of the lateral border of the scapula and the morphological width of the scapula. The superior transverse diameter of the suprascapular notch correlates with the length of the superior border of the scapula and negatively with the length of the lateral border of the scapula. In addition it has been shown that the length of the superior border of the scapula correlates more closely with the superior transverse diameter of the suprascapular notch than the middle transverse diameter of the suprascapular notch. Conclusions: It could be supposed that humans with longer scapulae have deeper notches. It may be also concluded that scapulae with a wider superior border have a shallower suprascapular notch.