Objective: The purpose of this article is to review frequently encountered pitfalls as they pertain to normal and variant anatomy of the shoulder, including the rotator cuff and rotator cable, blood vessels, glenoid labrum, and the glenohumeral ligaments.
Conclusion: MRI is the preferred method for evaluating internal derangement of the shoulder. Radiologists interpreting MR images should have a detailed understanding of pertinent anatomy and knowledge of common and uncommon pitfalls to avoid during image interpretation.
Keywords: MRI; anatomic variants; artifacts; pitfalls; shoulder.