A STUDY ON THE CHANGES OF MR SIGNAL INTENSITY OF POSTERIOR ATTACHMENT OF THE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT

악관절 후방부착부에 있어서 MRI 신호변화에 대한 고찰

Magnetic resonance imaging has been used in the temporomandibular joint(TMJ) primarily to define morphology and positional relationship of associating structures. This report examines signal intensity characteristics of the posterior attachment as they related to the severity of internal derangement. Fifty six joints in 35 patients with a history of TMJ dysfunction were imaged writ MR using $T_1$-weighted spin echo sequence. According to disk position, ability to reduction, and the presence of osteoarthritis, the joints were categorized into three groups. A group 1 was anterior disk displacement with reduction; a group 2 was anterior disk displacement without reduction; a group 3 was anterior disk displacement without reduction and condyle had osteoarthritic change. The control group was determined by the clinical absence of any signs or symptoms of current or past TMJ pain and dysfunction. Calculated the relative value of MR signal intensity in posterior attachment and disk to cerebral cortex of temporal lobe by means of computer program, we have compared them with each groups. The result showed statistically little significant difference of disk signal intensity among each groups. but, signal intensity from posterior attachment in group 2 and 3 were significantly(p<0.05) decreased than control group. this might reflect an fibrosis or hyalinization of posterior attachment, which was part of remodeling process that occurs in disk displacement without reduction. However, this study could not demonstrate histologic confirmation of the decreased signal intensity in the posterior attachment. So, further investigation could be needed to understand the association between them.