Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Patients With Chronic Lateral Epicondylitis: Is There a Relationship Between Magnetic Resonance Imaging Abnormalities of the Common Extensor Tendon and the Patient's Clinical Symptom?

The aim of the study is to determine the inter-reliability and intra-observer reliability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for lateral epicondylitis and investigate whether there is a potential relationship between MRI abnormalities of the common extensor tendon (CET) and its clinical symptom. The study group comprised 96 consecutive patients (46 men and 50 women) with a clinical diagnosis of chronic lateral epicondylitis, which were examined on 3.0 T MR. An MRI scoring system was used to grade the degree of tendinopahty. Three independent musculoskeletal radiologists, who were blinded to the patients’ clinical information, scored images separately. Clinical symptoms were assessed using the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE). Of all the patients, total 96 elbows had MRI-assessed tendinopathy, including 38 (39.6%) with grade 1, 31 (32.3%) with grade 2, and 27 (28.1%) with grade 3. Inter-observer reliability and intra-observer agreement for MRI interpretation of the grades of tendinopathy was good, and a positive correlation between the grades of tendinopathy and PRTEE was determined. MRI is a reliable tool in determining radiological severity of chronical lateral epicondylitis. The severity of MR signal changes positively correlate with the patient's clinical symptom.