Two inventions have revolutionized the treatment of pathologic shoulder conditions during recent decades: arthroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). While patient history and clinical examination are the mainstay of diagnostics in modern shoulder surgery, several entities have been redefined- or at least defined more precisely- by means of modern MRI. Moreover, MRI has become a prerequisite in preoperative diagnostics and treatment planning for several procedures, e.g. rotator cuff reconstruction. The preoperative visualization of the extent of tendon involvement, size of a rotator cuff tear, quality of the muscle-tendon- unit, and thereby judgement of repairability of a rotator cuff tear as well as the assessment of the feasibility of alternative treatment options, e.g. tendon transfer or capsular reconstruction procedures, exemplifies the close relationship modern shoulder surgery has developed with MRI. At the same time, the need for clear and concise description of pathologic conditions of bone soft tissue around the shoulder has definitely increased. For this reason, the book by Prof. Breitenseher is of great value for every radiologist dealing with diagnostic imaging of the shoulder. While it may be a challenge to teach orthopaedic fellows the three- dimensional relationships of physiologic and pathologic conditions around the shoulder joint, it will even be more complicated teaching these relationships to radiologists who do not have the invaluable opportunity to visualize conditions intraoperatively. Likewise, this book enables the radiologist to three-dimensionally understand, reliably recognize, and precisely describe almost all relevant pathologies as well as anatomic abnormalities of the shoulder. Prof. Breitenseher has to be applauded for creating this wonderfully illustrated, comprehensive, yet straightforward textbook on contemporary MR imaging of the shoulder.

PD Dr. med. Th. Kappe
Leitender Oberarzt
Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Ulm am RKU