• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.253-259
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• 2009

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to find out useful radiological projection of shoulder subluxation in patients with post-stroke hemiplegia. Methods : A total of 33 patients with post-stroke hemiplegia were included(20 men and 13 women, mean age 62.3 years) and having the subluxed shoulder over one finger breath. The shoulder subluxation was determined as the ratio of the radiographic vertical and horizontal distance. The vertical distance was determined by measuring the distance between the most inferolateral point of the acromion and the central point of the humeral head. The horizontal distance was determined by measuring the distance between the central point of the glenoid fossa and the central point of the humeral head. To measure of the shoulder subluxation, the shoulder AP, axial and transthoracic lateral projections were taken on both affected and unaffected shoulders. We analyzed the difference of subluxation distance by t-test. Results : When patients was in sitting position, the average time of being shoulder subluxation was 123 second. There was significant difference between supine($49.90{\pm}13.6\;mm$) and sitting position($60.72{\pm}16.3\;mm$) in the vertical distance of shoulder anterior-posterior projection. Also, there was significant difference on transthoracic lateral projections, Affected $35.92{\pm}6.2\;mm$, Unaffected $28.76{\pm}5.4\;mm$. But in case of shoulder axial projection(supine position), there was no significant difference (Unaffected and affected was $23.01{\pm}9.0\;mm$, $22.45{\pm}8.2\;mm$ each). Conclusion : Radiological projection of shoulder subluxation has diagnostic value when it goes after check out the process of subluxation through finger breadth test. For this, patients must be in sitting and shoulder neutral position about 2 minutes. In addition, Shoulder anterior-posterior and transthoracic projection were significant to diagnose subluxation. But in axial projection, there wasn't meaningful differences.