FIMAGE-T

Why is this study needed?

A single study question captures the premise of the FIMAGE-T study:
Are rotator cuff tears detected on imaging after a shoulder injury caused by the index trauma – or are they simply incidental findings?

The absence of a clear answer puts clinicians around the world into an everyday dilemma – as the treatment of these two entities is completely different. Despite the lack of high-quality evidence – conventional wisdom dictates surgical repair of an ‘acute’ rotator cuff tear – while degenerative tears (i.e. – incidental findings) should be treated conservatively. Clinicians will continue to struggle with this challenge until solid evidence emerges to corroborate or refute the hypothesis that a traumatic event truly results in a symptomatic tear.

The only way to address this prevailing clinical dilemma is to conduct a follow-up study in a large enough sample of people who have undergone pre-injury (baseline) imaging. Thanks to access to the FIMAGE baseline data and a prospective collection of work exposures (from the Health 2000 study) – FIMAGE-T will provide world-first data on the relationship between structural rotator cuff integrity – trauma – work exposures – and shoulder symptoms.

What are the objectives of the FIMAGE-T study?

Leveraging the FIMAGE baseline data—including shoulder MRIs and detailed symptom status—we aim to investigate:

• What is the impact of a shoulder injury on structural rotator cuff integrity and shoulder symptoms?
  
• Does a sudden onset of significant shoulder symptoms translate into corresponding changes in rotator cuff integrity?

Where are we now?

Follow-up of the FIMAGE participants began immediately after their baseline study visit. Participants were informed that we hope to hear from them if either shoulder becomes suddenly painful or injured during the follow-up period. This will allow us to gather world-first information on the true value of imaging in evaluating acutely symptomatic or traumatically injured shoulders.

The follow-up is ongoing – and we have already enrolled a promising number of cases.

Project team

Saara Raatikainen – Tommi Härkänen - Pirjo Toivonen – Niko Sillanpää - Frank Bench – Ville Haapamäki - Kari Kanto – Antti Joukainen – Robert Björkenheim – Lasse Rämö - Anssi Ryösä – Petra Hagerström – Karin Sallmén

Contributors

Danielle Van der Windt– Juha Paloneva – Roope Kalske – Mika Paavola

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