Study Summary
A 2026 study published in *Interventional Pain Medicine* examined MRI findings among adults with scapular pain. The research, led by Potu CK and colleagues, was a single-center exploratory cross-sectional study involving 503 patients who presented to orthopedic clinics between June 2015 and June 2025. The study aimed to identify the prevalence of MRI findings in the cervicothoracic spine, shoulder, and scapula among individuals experiencing scapular pain. Key findings included high rates of supraspinatus tendinopathy, C5-6 foraminal stenosis, and C5-6 degenerative changes. The authors emphasized that MRI findings in this population should be interpreted carefully within clinical context, as incidental abnormalities increase with age.
Study Design and Participants
The study employed a cross-sectional design, analyzing data from patients who sought care for scapular pain at a single orthopedic clinic. Of the 503 participants, 284 (56%) underwent at least one MRI, with imaging focused on the cervical spine (203 cases), thoracic spine (76 cases), shoulder (106 cases), and scapula (22 cases). The researchers did not specify whether participants had undergone prior diagnostic evaluations or interventions, nor did they detail the criteria used to select patients for MRI. The study’s single-center nature may limit generalizability, as findings could vary across different clinical settings.
Key MRI Findings
The most common MRI findings among the 284 patients were supraspinatus tendinopathy (88%), C5-6 foraminal stenosis (66%), and C5-6 degenerative changes (65%). These results suggest that cervical spine pathology and shoulder-specific issues are frequently associated with scapular pain. The study also noted that incidental MRI findings in the spine and shoulder tend to increase with age, highlighting the importance of correlating imaging results with clinical symptoms. However, the research did not assess the relationship between these findings and specific pain generators, such as cervical radiculopathy or scapular dyskinesis, which are known contributors to scapular pain.
Study Limitations
The authors acknowledged several limitations of their study. The single-center design may restrict the applicability of findings to broader populations. Additionally, the exploratory nature of the study did not allow for hypothesis testing or long-term follow-up to determine the clinical significance of the identified MRI findings. The lack of detailed clinical data, such as pain duration or response to treatment, further limits the ability to draw definitive conclusions about the role of MRI in diagnosing scapular pain. The study also did not evaluate the impact of age on the prevalence of findings beyond noting that incidental abnormalities increase with age.
Conclusion and Clinical Implications
The study concluded that C5-6 pathology and supraspinatus tendinopathy were the most prevalent MRI findings in patients with scapular pain. However, the authors stressed that these findings should be interpreted cautiously, as they may represent incidental changes rather than the primary cause of pain. The research underscores the need for clinicians to integrate MRI results with patient history, physical examination, and other diagnostic tools when evaluating scapular pain. While the study provides valuable insights into the frequency of certain abnormalities, it does not establish a direct causal link between these findings and scapular pain, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive, patient-centered approach to diagnosis.