Postoperative Shoulder Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR arthrography have proven invaluable for managing the postoperative shoulder, particularly in relation to the rotator cuff and labrum. MRI has proven to be an accurate imaging technique for differentiating expected findings versus complications in the postoperative setting. The transition from metallic hardware to bioabsorbable suture anchors used in orthopedic surgery has rendered less metallic susceptibility artifact over the years, allowing more accurate interpretation of MR images. This article gives a pictorial review of various expected postoperative findings in the shoulder and complications related to repair of the rotator cuff and labrum.