Prevalence of incidental distal biceps signal changes on magnetic resonance imaging.

The finding that distal biceps MRI signal changes consistent with tendinopathy are common even in asymptomatic elbows reduces the probability that symptoms correlate with pathology on imaging. The accumulation of signal changes with age, also independent of symptoms, suggests that tendon pathology persists after symptoms resolve, that some degree of distal biceps tendinopathy is common in a human lifetime, and that tendinopathy may often be accommodated without seeking care. Level of evidence: IV.