Shallowing of the bicipital groove as a sequela of long head biceps tendon tear

In the first cohort (n = 80; 40 complete LHBT tears, 40 intact tendons), the average bicipital groove depth was significantly shallower in the tear group (3.38 ± 1.23 mm) compared to the intact group (5.33 ± 0.87 mm) (p < 0.0001). In the second cohort (n = 31), initial groove depth averaged 4.94 ± 1.37 mm, decreasing to 2.47 ± 1.44 mm on follow-up MRI at an average of 40 months. The findings suggest that the morphology of the bicipital groove is maintained by the presence of an intact LHBT. Complete tears result in a gradual, measurable decrease in groove depth. Recognition of groove shallowing on MRI may serve as a secondary sign of chronic long head biceps tendon tear, aiding in diagnosis and assessment of chronicity.