MRI OF THE TEMPROMANDIBULAR JOINT IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND GENERALIZED OSTEOARTHRITIS

Abstract

Clinical diagnosis and documentation of TMJ disorders are difficult, and patients may present with symptoms of dysfunction without objective joint disease. For this reason, the patient presenting with TMJ dysfunction requires comprehensive analysis and careful diagnosis. Unfortunately, the articular disc cannot be seen by conventional radiography or CT because these modalities rely on the assessment of osseous structures.

MRI imaging has rapidly replaced these modalities for valuable evaluation ofTMJ disorders.

In tlJ.is study TMJ assessement by MRI was performed for 20 patients (40 joints) whom clinicaly diagnosed as generalized osteoarthritis (10 patients) and Rheumatoid arthritis (I0 patients) with different duration of systemic disease affection.

This study indicated that there was no definite relationship between the duration of TMJ complain and the severity of the MRI findings, while there was some relationship between the long duration of the systemic disease whether generalized osteoa11hritis or rheumatoid arthritis and MRI findings

However the small number of patients encountered in this study was statistically unsatisfied but tlJ.is fact can not be eliminate the great benefit of MR studies. For these type of patients to depict early TMJ affection in which may change the methods of clinical management.