Current status of temporomandibular joint imaging for the diagnosis of internal derangements

Abstract

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and dysfunction are common and important clinical problems. With the recent advances in imaging technology, radiologists have made major contributions to the understanding of TMJ diseases. The purpose of this article is to review the anatomy of the TMJ and to put into perspective the relative merits of each imaging technique (conventional radiography and tomography, scintigraphy, CT, MR imaging, and arthrography) as it pertains to diagnosing internal derangement, the most common disorder of the joint.