Utility of Preoperative Shear-Wave Elastography of the Supraspinatus Muscle for Predicting Successful Rotator Cuff Repair: A Prospective Observational Study With MRI Correlation.

After rotator cuff tear, properties of the torn muscle predict failed surgical repair. The purpose of our study was to explore the utility of preoperative shear-wave elastography (SWE) measurements of the supraspinatus muscle to predict successful rotator cuff repair, including comparison with MRI-based measures. This prospective study included 74 patients (37 men, 37 women; mean age, 63.9 ± 10.0 [SD] years) who underwent rotator cuff repair between May 2019 and January 2021. Patients underwent preoperative clinical shoulder MRI and investigational shoulder ultrasound including SWE using shear modulus. The mean elasticity values of the supraspinatus and trapezius muscles were measured, and the elasticity ratio (i.e., ratio of mean elasticity of supraspinatus muscle to mean elasticity of trapezius muscle) was calculated. The muscular fatty infiltration score (1-3 scale) was recorded on gray-scale ultrasound. On MRI, muscular fatty infiltration was assessed by Goutallier grade (0-4 scale), and muscular atrophy was assessed by the occupation ratio (ratio of cross-sectional areas of supraspinatus muscle and supraspinatus fossa) and by the muscle atrophy grade (0-3 scale). After rotator cuff repair, the surgeon classified procedures as achieving sufficient ( = 60) or insufficient ( = 14) repair. Patients with insufficient repair, versus those with sufficient repair, more commonly exhibited a large (3-5 cm) tear (100.0% vs 50.0%). Patients with insufficient, versus sufficient, repair exhibited higher mean Goutallier grade (3.8 ± 0.4 vs 1.9 ± 1.1), mean muscle atrophy grade (2.0 ± 0.8 vs 0.5 ± 0.7), mean supraspinatus elasticity (44.15 ± 8.06 vs 30.84 ± 7.89 kPa), mean elasticity ratio (3.66 ± 0.66 vs 1.83 ± 0.58), and mean gray-scale fatty infiltration grade (2.86 ± 0.36 vs 1.63 ± 0.66) and showed lower mean occupation ratio (0.3 ± 0.1 vs 0.6 ± 0.1) (all, < .001). AUC for predicting insufficient repair was 0.945 for Goutallier grade, 0.961 for occupation ratio, 0.900 for muscle atrophy grade, 0.874 for mean elasticity, 0.971 for elasticity ratio, and 0.912 for gray-scale fatty infiltration grade. Elasticity ratio (cutoff ≥ 2.51) achieved sensitivity of 100.0% and specificity of 90.0% for insufficient repair. At multivariable analysis including tear size, the three MRI measures, elasticity ratio, and gray-scale fatty infiltration grade, the only independent predictors of insufficient repair were muscle atrophy grade of 2-3 (odds ratio [OR] = 9.3) and elasticity ratio (OR = 15.7). SWE-derived elasticity is higher in patients with insufficient rotator cuff repair; the elasticity ratio predicts insufficient repair independent of tear size and muscle characteristics. Preoperative SWE may serve as a prognostic marker in patients with rotator cuff tear.