Ultrasound-Guided Therapeutic Scapulothoracic Interval Injections

J Ultrasound Med. 2019 Jul;38(7):1899-1906. doi: 10.1002/jum.14865. Epub 2018 Nov 25.

Abstract

Scapulothoracic pain is a common ailment, but the underlying cause can be difficult to diagnose in a timely manner, and treatment options are limited. We retrospectively review our experience using ultrasound-guided therapeutic scapulothoracic interval steroid injections to treat scapulothoracic pain and review correlative magnetic resonance imaging findings over a 5-year period. Although a variety of structural causes are known to cause scapulothoracic pain, in our experience, most cases lack correlative imaging findings. Ultrasound-guided scapulothoracic interval injections provide a safe, easily performed diagnostic and therapeutic tool for treating patients with periscapular pain, providing at least short-term symptom relief.

Keywords: bursitis; musculoskeletal ultrasound; scapulothoracic; snapping scapula; ultrasound-guided injection.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intra-Articular
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Shoulder Pain / drug therapy*
  • Shoulder Pain / etiology
  • Steroids / administration & dosage*
  • Ultrasonography, Interventional / methods*

Substances

  • Steroids