Calcific Tendinitis of Shoulder

Calcific tendinitis of the shoulder, is a self-limiting disease characterized by the deposition of calcium phosphate crystals in the rotator cuff tendons. Patients will develop complications such as decreased range of motion of the shoulder joint, and thus reducing their quality of life. The most common site of occurrence is 1.5-2 cm away from the supraspinatus tendon insertion site on the greater tuberosity. The primary treatment for calcific tendinitis is conservative, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics for pain relieving, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, subacromial steroid injections, ultrasound-guided barbotage technique for aspirating and washing out calcific deposits. Ultrasound is being used in calcified tendinitis for evaluating its size, location, quality, and also using the color Doppler ultrasonography to evaluate its reactive inflammatory changes. However, the use of color Doppler ultrasonography in diagnosing and treating a shoulder pain with calcification is not being concluded yet. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of color Doppler ultrasonography in calcified tendinitis.

Calcific tendinitis of the shoulder is among the frequently encountered shoulder problems. Conservative treatment is often preferred for its management. Persistent pain, impingement symptoms due to large calcific deposits, and extension into the bone are indications for surgical intervention. Although many classification methods for calcific tendinitis have been defined in the literature, none of them is directly related to prognosis, treatment options, or surgical management. The aim of this study is to create a new, easy-to-apply, practical, and treatment-related classification system for calcific tendinitis based on the localization of the deposits on MRI. Furthermore, the aim is to compile the current patient cohort according to this new classification and examine the relationship between the treatment applied and the deposit localization in the proposed classification.