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Hand & Upper Limb
intermediate
X-Type

Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder - Phases and Treatment

Shoulder Pathology

A 45-year-old woman presents with sudden severe shoulder pain that started last night. She is unable to move her shoulder and describes exquisite tenderness over the greater tuberosity. Plain radiographs show a fluffy, ill-defined calcific deposit at the supraspinatus insertion with surrounding soft tissue swelling. She is afebrile with normal inflammatory markers. Regarding calcific tendinitis of the shoulder:

Mark each as TRUE or FALSE

A

Calcific tendinitis involves calcium hydroxyapatite deposition in the rotator cuff, most commonly th...

B

The condition progresses through phases: pre-calcific (fibrocartilage metaplasia), calcific (formati...

C

The resorptive phase has a dense, well-defined appearance on X-ray; this condition rarely resolves s...

D

On X-ray, formative phase deposits appear dense and well-defined while resorptive phase deposits app...

E

The condition is self-limiting in most cases (80-90%) and resolves spontaneously within 1-3 years; c...

Answer the questions to see explanations

Click T (True) or F (False) for each option