Detection of the Temporomandibular Joint Fibrocartilage by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Detection of the Temporomandibular Joint Fibrocartilage by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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Corresponding Author
Gustavo Moncada
Dental School, Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago, Chile

A B S T R A C T

Objective: The aims of this study were to detect the fibrocartilage layer (FC) of the porcine mandible condyle in ex vivo preparations using 3D SPGR (Spoiled GRASS sequence) (T1 WATS) sequences, and, to compare 3D SPGR image results with those of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences for detecting the fibrocartilage layers of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Methods: Four porcine TMJ with and without FC were radiographically and histologically assessed. Additionally, fifty-nine patients were studied using T1 WATS MRI and T2 TSE and PD TSE sequences. Four trained and calibrated observers assessed the MRI images. Results: In porcine, the T1 WATS sequence was able to detect the presence or absence of FC in the mandibular condyle, histologically confirmed. In humans, 98% of fibrocartilages were detected with T1 WATS sequence in temporal fossa, and 91% in mandible condyles. Significantly poorer detection with the T2 TSE and PD TSE sequences was observed. Mean fibrocartilage ROI signal intensity was 74.07 IU (±14.7), without statistical differences between fossa and condyle. Conclusion: T1 WATS is the most reliable and efficient sequence for detecting the TMJ fibrocartilage layer (p <0.05).

Article Info

Article Type
Research Article
Publication history
Received: Thu 08, Sep 2022
Accepted: Thu 29, Sep 2022
Published: Thu 20, Oct 2022
Copyright
© 2023 Gustavo Moncada. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Hosting by Science Repository.
DOI: 10.31487/j.DOBCR.2022.03.02