The Ultrasonographic Features of Shoulder Pain Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in South China

Background and Objective. Musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging can play a role as an accurate tool in offering an accurate diagnosis of shoulder pain. However, it is still not commonly used in mainland China. The aim of this study was to explore the epidemiology and ultrasound imaging characteristics of shoulder pain patients in south China and hoping to use these data in the future development of artificial intelligent ultrasound interpretation of shoulder pathology. Methods. Patients with shoulder pain were recruited in an outpatient rehabilitation clinic at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018. These shoulder pain patients with or without limitation in joint movement can be included in the study. All of them received musculoskeletal ultrasound scanning. Demographic and imaging data including age, gender, duration of shoulder pain, pain side, and pathologies found by musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging were collected and analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups: 60 years (elderly group). The rates of various shoulder pathologies were evaluated and compared between the groups. Results. This study recruited a total of 346 patients with shoulder pain. There were more female (62.1%) than male patients (37.9%), with the largest number of patients in the 45-60 years of age group (40.5%). Forty-eight percent of patients had shoulder pain within a period of 3 months. A total of 380 shoulders were assessed using musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging. The occurrence rate of subacromial disorder (83.8%) was the highest. The rate of supraspinatus tendinopathy, acromioclavicular joint degeneration, and adhesive shoulder capsulitis varied significantly between age groups (P