Bennett lesions in overhead athletes and associated shoulder abnormalities on MRI

• Published in: Skeletal radiology 2019-08, Vol.48 (8), p.1233-1240
• Main Authors: Karcich, Jenika, Kazam, Jonathan K., Rasiej, Michael J., Wong, Tony T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abnormalities; Adolescent; Adult; Arthrography; Athletes; Athletic Injuries - diagnostic imaging; Athletic Injuries - etiology; Athletic Injuries - pathology; Cartilage; Cysts; Exostoses - diagnostic imaging; Exostoses - etiology; Exostoses - pathology; Female; Humans; Humerus; Imaging; Impingement; Injuries; Lesions; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nuclear Medicine; Orthopedics; Pathology; Radiology; Retrospective Studies; Scientific Article; Shoulder; Shoulder Injuries - diagnostic imaging; Shoulder Injuries - etiology; Shoulder Injuries - pathology; Statistical analysis; Statistical tests; Surgery; Tendons; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0364-2348; 1432-2161
• DOI: 10.1007/s00256-019-03176-2

Objective To determine if a Bennett lesion and its size are associated with additional MRI shoulder abnormalities in an overhead athlete. Materials and methods An IRB-approved retrospective review of our database from 1 January 2012 to 1 April 2018 identified 35 overhead athletes with a Bennett lesion on MRI. A control group consisting of 35 overhead athletes without a Bennett lesion were matched for age, level of play (professional vs non-professional), and type of study (arthrogram vs non-arthrogram). Each study was assessed independently by two MSK fellowship trained radiologists. The sizes of the Bennett lesions were measured. Each MRI was assessed for the presence of a labral tear, posterior glenoid cartilage abnormality, humeral head notching or cysts, and fraying or tear of the supraspinatus or infraspinatus tendons. Statistical analyses were performed using Student’s t test, Fisher’s exact test, and Chi-squared test. Results There was an increased incidence of posterior glenoid cartilage abnormalities in athletes with Bennett lesions vs those without (23% vs 3%, p value = 0.01). There was no difference in any other MRI abnormalities, including labral tears and findings of internal impingement between these two groups ( p value range = 0.09–0.46). There was no association between the size of a Bennett lesion and the presence of glenoid cartilage lesions, labral tears, internal impingement, age, professional status, or need for surgery ( p value range = 0.08–0.96). Conclusion Symptomatic overhead athletes with Bennett lesions have an increased frequency of posterior glenoid cartilage abnormalities, but not labral tears or findings of internal impingement compared to those without Bennett lesions.