The glenoid bare area is the central posterior glenoid fossa where articular cartilage is absent or markedly thin, visible as a central cartilage-free zone on MRI. It is a normal anatomical feature caused by central glenoid cartilage thinning and must not be confused with an osteochondral defect.
| Articulations |
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|---|---|
| Landmarks |
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| Ossification | The glenoid is part of the scapular ossification from the glenoid secondary centre appearing at puberty and fusing at 15-20 years. |
The glenoid bare area is a common source of diagnostic confusion on MRI. It can mimic a posterior glenoid osteochondral defect or labral tear due to its central signal void. Awareness of this normal variant prevents unnecessary surgery. True glenoid osteochondral defects are eccentric, have abnormal subchondral signal, and often have associated labral pathology. The glenoid bare area is also the reference point for glenoid track measurement in instability.
Recurrent anterior dislocations erode the anteroinferior glenoid; the bare area serves as the centre reference for measuring the percentage of bone lost.
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