99% of adults over 40 have shoulder "abnormalities" on an MRI, study finds
Summary
A large JAMA Internal Medicine study finds that 99% of adults over 40 have at least one rotator cuff abnormality on MRI, yet most are asymptomatic. The result challenges using MRI findings to diagnose shoulder pain and supports using functional context and careful terminology to avoid overtreatment. The article also hints at opportunities for AI-assisted interpretation to separate incidental findings from clinically meaningful abnormalities.