MRI findings of rotator cuff pathology
Tendinopathy (chronic tendon degeneration) manifests on MRI as mildly increased signal intensity and thickening of the tendon. Tendon tears demonstrate increased T2-weighted signal intensity, as bright as fluid, within the tendon. Chronic rotator cuff tears may demonstrate superior displacement of the humeral head (“high riding humeral head”), and fatty change and/or atrophy of the rotator cuff muscles (best evaluated on oblique sagittal T1-weighted images).
