Association of Amount of Fatty Infiltration between Full-Thickness Tear & No Tear of Supraspinatus Tendon According to Goutallier Grading System: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital In Central Kerala
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71393/b3f7gk36Keywords:
Supraspinatus tear, Fatty infiltration, Goutallier grading, MRI shoulder, Rotator cuff, Tendon retraction.Abstract
Introduction: Fatty infiltration of rotator cuff muscles is a key prognostic factor affecting surgical outcomes in supraspinatus tendon tears. Its severity, commonly assessed using the Goutallier grading system, plays an important role in determining tendon healing potential and functional recovery.
Aim & Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between fatty infiltration and full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears, assess tendon retraction using the Patte classification, and examine the relationship between retraction severity and fatty infiltration.
Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 patients undergoing shoulder MRI at a tertiary care center in Kerala. The study population included 30 patients with full-thickness supraspinatus tears and 30 without tears. Fatty infiltration was graded from 0 to 4 using the Goutallier classification, while tendon retraction was categorized into Patte grades I–III. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.
Results: Patients with full-thickness tears were significantly older compared to those without tears (mean age 60.83 vs. 52.53 years, p<0.001). Higher grades of fatty infiltration (Goutallier grades 3 and 4) were observed exclusively in the tear group (p<0.001). A significant difference in muscle atrophy severity was also noted between the two groups (p<0.001). Tendon retraction showed a strong positive correlation with Patte grading (ρ=0.71, p<0.001). However, no significant correlation was found between fatty infiltration grade and retraction distance (ρ=0.22, p=0.241).
Conclusion: Full-thickness supraspinatus tears are strongly associated with increased fatty infiltration and muscle atrophy. Preoperative MRI evaluation using Goutallier and Patte classifications is crucial for surgical planning and outcome prediction.
