skip to main content

Rotator cuff tendinopathy — SCE Rheumatology MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardOsteoarthritis and soft tissue rheumatologyRotator cuff tendinopathySCE Rheumatology

A 74-year-old woman has lateral shoulder pain worse on overhead activity. Examination shows painful arc and resisted abduction pain are present. Investigations show passive range of movement is preserved. The consultant wants the next test most likely to confirm the suspected process or guide treatment. The result will change diagnosis, staging or immediate treatment. What is the most appropriate investigation?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B — Ultrasound shoulder

The best answer is “Ultrasound shoulder”. Ultrasound shoulder most directly resolves the diagnostic or staging uncertainty at this point in the pathway; the other investigations answer different questions or have lower yield. The remaining choices—“Nerve conduction studies, with clinical reassessment”, “DXA scan, within a rheumatology pathway”, “Thyroid function testing, after specialist assessment”, “Vitamin D level, with clinical reassessment”—are credible in related rheumatology presentations, but each addresses a different diagnosis, investigation, treatment sequence or complication and does not fit the decisive findings in this stem.

Reference: NICE NG226 osteoarthritis: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng226/chapter/Recommendations