SynthesisArthritis care & research2018
What Imaging-Detected Pathologies Are Associated With Shoulder Symptoms and Their Persistence? A Systematic Literature Review.
Synthesis in Arthritis care & research, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 55 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pulsed and cooled radiofrequency for chronic shoulder pain: a systematic review of comparative and cohort studies.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Imaging abnormalities of the acromioclavicular joint and subacromial space are common in asymptomatic shoulders: a systematic review.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025Pooled it
- No relationship between the acromiohumeral distance and pain in adults with subacromial pain syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2020Pooled it
- Trial
- Trial
- Bloodpool SPECT/CT offers enhanced sensitivity for the diagnosis of frozen shoulder.Annals of nuclear medicine · 2026Article
- Regional musculoskeletal pain in workers-is the traditional medical model increasing disability?British medical bulletin · 2026Review
- Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Asymptomatic Shoulder Involvement in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Prospective Case-Control Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Incidental Rotator Cuff Abnormalities on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.JAMA internal medicine · 2026Article
- Muscle volume of supraspinatus and infraspinatus in dogs: a computed tomography reliability study.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2026Article
- Radiographic findings in patients suspected of subacromial impingement syndrome in relation to shoulder pain and disability.Skeletal radiology · 2025Article
- Physical examination tests in the acute phase of shoulder injuries with negative radiographs: a diagnostic accuracy study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Observational
- Negative expectations and related nocebo effects in shoulder pain: a perspective for clinicians and researchers.Pain management · 2025Review
- Shoulder pain: to image or not to image?Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2025Article
- A Cross-Sectional Study Exploring the Relationship between Work-Related, Lifestyle Factors and Non-Specific Neck and Shoulder Pain in a Southeast Asian Population.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Handrim kinetics and quantitative ultrasound parameters for assessment of subacromial impingement in wheelchair users with pediatric-onset spinal cord injury.Gait & posture · 2024Article
- Biopsychosocial contributors to irritability in individuals with shoulder or low back pain.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2024Article
- The usefulness of ultrasound in predicting outcomes in patients with shoulder pain: a prospective observational study.Rheumatology (Oxford, England) · 2024Observational
- The Critical Shoulder Angle: A Significant Radiological Measure in Rotator Cuff vs. Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis in Chilean Patients-A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Article
- Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain (RCRSP): semistructured patient interviews to explore the barriers and enablers to rehabilitation exercises.BMJ open sport & exercise medicine · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveShoulder symptoms are common, and imaging is being increasingly used to help with management. However, the relationship between imaging and symptoms remains unclear. This review aims to understand the relationship between imaging-detected pathologies, symptoms, and their persistence.
methodsA systematic review using Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, and grey literature was conducted to April 2017. The cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between imaging-detected abnormalities and symptoms were analyzed and associations qualitatively characterized by a best-evidence synthesis based on study design, covariate adjustment, and the Grade of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. Modalities included ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiographs, positron emission tomography (PET), bone scintigraphy, and computed tomography.
resultsA total of 6,569 abstracts was screened and 56 articles were included. In total, 50 studies did not adjust for covariates and 36 analyzed individual pathologies only. The majority of studies showed conflicting results. There was no significant association between most imaging features and symptoms among high-quality, cross-sectional studies. There was low-quality evidence that enhancement of the joint capsule on MRI and increased uptake on PET were associated with symptoms in adhesive capsulitis. Based on high-quality longitudinal studies, enlarging rotator cuff tears were associated with an increased incidence of symptoms.
conclusionThere were conflicting results on the association of imaging features with shoulder symptoms and their persistence. The existing evidence was very low in quality, based on the GRADE methodology. Further high-quality studies are required to understand the relationship between imaging and shoulder symptoms and to determine the appropriate role of imaging in care pathways.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.