Thirty patients with shoulder disorders were examined with fluoroscopy under general anesthesia. Prior to this cineradiography, 20 shoulders had diagnoses of instability and 10 had diagnoses of other stable-shoulder disorders. Three patients (10%) had changes in their shoulder diagnoses after imaging: 1) One patient with an impingement syndrome also had an unstable shoulder; 2) One patient suspected of having anterior subluxations prior to imaging, demonstrated posterior subluxations instead with imaging; and 3) One patient with recurrent posterior dislocations demonstrated a multidirectional instability pattern with imaging. Fluoroscopic examination or the shoulder under anesthesia provides useful diagnostic information. Its use is recommended for documentation, especially when there is uncertainty about a diagnosis, or to confirm the proper placement of metal after reconstructive surgery.