To investigate the clinical importance of glenohumeral joint (GHJ) fluid.
The amount of GHJ fluid in 17 volunteers and 208 consecutive patients was graded at magnetic resonance imaging with T2-weighted fat-suppressed coronal oblique images by two blinded observers. Thorough historical data and physical examination results were available for 108 patients. Presence and grade of GHJ fluid were correlated with age, sex, presence of osteophytes activity scale, supraspinatus tenderness, clinical impingement, prior subacromial injections, rotator cuff tears (RCTs), joint tenderness, joint pain, and history of trauma.
GHJ fluid was seen in 40% (n = 83) of patients and in only 6% (n = 1) of volunteers. The volume of fluid correlated with osteophytes (P = .04), increasing age (P = .0001), and RCTs (P = .005). No correlation was found with activity rating, focal tenderness, joint pain, diagnosis of impingement, impingement grade, supraspinatus insertional tenderness, subacromial injection, prior trauma, or sex.
The presence of GHJ fluid appears to be abnormal and in most cases is related to RCTs and osteoarthritis. It seems to be unrelated to activity, tenderness, or impingement.