Our Experience withMRImaging of Temporomandibular Joint

Overview

The aim of this study was to summarize results of the investigation of temporomandibularjoint (TMJ) by magnetic resonance (MR) in various types of its disorders. MRimaging visualizes the bone and soft tissue components of TMJ including the disc and dynamicinvestigation during a gradual mouth opening visualizes the inner movement of the disc indetail. Twenty six patients with TMJ disorders (i.e. 52 TMJ) were investigated in a dynamicstudy during the period 1996–2003. The group consisted of 24 women and 2 men between theages of 18 and 67 (35.6 years of age on the average). All the patients were examined by meansof 1.5 T MR. Pathological MR findings were observed in 92.3 % of investigated TMJ, 78.8% ofwhich represented ventral derrangement of the disc.The affection of mandible headwas presentin 7.6% of cases.It can be summed up that the ventral derrangement of the disc with or without repositionrepresented the most frequently observed dysfunction of TMJ. The dynamic investigation ofTMJ in FFE mode (in T1 weighted images) was well tolerated by all patients and the methodis appropriate enough for evaluation of the joint dynamics. It visualized the inner translaterotary movement of the head and also the disc movements in single movement phases.

Key words:
temporomandibular joint – MR imaging