Abstract
To investigate the relationship between the novel acromial angle and rotator cuff tears through imaging studies. We retrospectively selected 148 patients who underwent complete imaging examinations including scapular outlet X-rays and shoulder MRIs from January 2023 to September 2024 at our hospital. Based on whether the subjects had rotator cuff tears, they were divided into an injury group and a normal group, and the differences in the novel acromial angle between the two groups were compared. The novel acromial angle in the normal group was (149.1 ± 5.957)°, while in the injury group, it was (142.3 ± 6.558)°, showing a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001). The probability of rotator cuff injury was 79.07% for individuals with a novel acromial angle smaller than the average in the injury group. The novel acromial angle in the injury group was generally smaller than that in the normal group. A novel acromial angle smaller than the average was associated with a higher probability of rotator cuff injury, and smaller angles were more likely to lead to more severe rotator cuff tears. Therefore, the novel acromial angle may serve as a simple and objective method to predict the probability of rotator cuff tears.