Correlation of TMJ pain among patients with disc displacement with and without reduction with proton density fat suppression sequences/T2-weighted images of retrodiscal fibers using 3T MRI – Original research

Abstract

Background: Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction affects up to 28% of the population, where the main cause is the internal derangement, with a painful click and disc derangement often arising from the retro-discal tissue inflammation. Objectives: The present study aims to analyze the relationship between pain and changes in magnetic resonance (MR) signal from retro discal tissue in anterior disc displaced patients with and without reduction using 3 Tesla MR imaging (MRI). Methods: 70 TMJs were evaluated, of which 45 joints were displaced anteriorly with reduction and 25 joints without reduction. MRI features other than disc position evaluated degenerative changes and effusion too. Results: The T2 signal from the retro-discal fibers showed a statistically significant (P < 0.05) association between pain and increased T2-weighted signal. Conclusions: T2-weighted MRI images showed a substantial correlation between increased posterior disc attachment (PDA) signal intensity and TMJ pain, reflecting increased vascularization of joint tissues. Our result showed elevated MR signals from PDA, suggesting it to be a probable MRI marker for painful TMJ.

Keywords

• articular disc
• imaging
• magnetic resonance
• pain
• temporomandibular