Role of CT scan in early diagnosis of temporomandibular joint injury in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Aims and objectives: Early detection of rheumatoid injury in the temporomandibular joint using CT, which accurately detects bone changes before the clinical symptoms start appearing to protect the joint from irreversible damage, and the correlation of those radiological changes with the duration of rheumatoid arthritis disease. Materials and methods: It included 45 people aged 27-74 years who reviewed the internal medicine and rheumatology clinics at Al-Mouwasat Hospital during 2016-2018 and are affected with rheumatoid arthritis according to the criteria American College of Arthritis (ACR) European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2010 criteria. The informed consent of the patient and the approval of the Scientific Research Council were obtained to conduct the research. Results: Computed tomography revealed the radiological changes in the left and right side, respectively, in terms of p value <0.05: (1) Erosion of condyle (42.22-53.34%). (2) Decreased in the joint space (53.33-60.00%). (3) Mandibular subchondral cysts in both sides (77.14%). (4) Erosion of the articular fossa (48.89-57.78%). (5) Flattening of condyle (46.67-55.55%). (6) Effusion (2.22-4.44%). (7) Bone marrow edema (26.67-40.00%). (8) Subchondral sclerosis (60.00-73.33%). Conclusion and clinical significance: The occurrence of bone damage in the condyle and articular fossa of the temporomandibular joint despite the fact that the sample members have no clinical complaint indicates the ability of CT scan of early and accurate disclosure of rheumatoid injury in the temporomandibular joint.