Adson's test screens for which condition?

• A. Rotator cuff tear
• B. Thoracic outlet syndrome
• C. Carpal tunnel syndrome
• D. De Quervain's

Answer: (B)

Adson's test looks for thoracic outlet syndrome by provoking compression of the neurovascular bundle as it passes through the thoracic outlet. In the maneuver, the patient extends the neck, rotates the head toward the tested arm, and takes a deep breath while the clinician palpates the radial pulse. If the pulse weakens or disappears, it suggests compression of the subclavian artery and possibly the brachial plexus by the scalene muscles or first rib in that space. This positional vascular/neural compromise is what the test is designed to reveal. Other conditions like rotator cuff tear, carpal tunnel syndrome, or De Quervain's involve different structures and are assessed with different signs and tests, not Adson's. The key idea is that Adson's identifies changes in blood (and sometimes nerve) flow at the thoracic outlet when the space is narrowed.