The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of bone marrow edema in the greater tuberosity of the humerus on MR imaging, the association with other findings at MR imaging and the injury mechanism which can lead to this finding.
Subjects and methods: MR reports from 863 patients referred for shoulder MRI over 74 months were reviewed to identify patients with marrow edema in the greater tuberosity. The MR images from patients with greater tuberosity marrow edema were reviewed by consensus of two radiologists for the extent of marrow edema and for associated injuries. Marrow edema in the greater tuberosity was seen in 11 of 863 patients (1.3%). Nine patients (82%) had associated rotator cuff tear by MR imaging (four full thickness and five partial thickness), one patient had avulsion of the greater tuberosity from the humerus, and one had no rotator cuff abnormality. History of trauma was reported by eight patients including fall without direct blow to the shoulder (6), car accident (1) and direct blow to the top of the shoulder (1). Marrow edema in the greater tuberosity is an infrequent finding. Marrow edema most often is associated with a history of trauma and with rotator cuff abnormalities including full thickness tears. The history of trauma without direct blow to the shoulder and the location of the edema indicates that marrow edema often results from avulsion injury by the supraspinatus tendon.