MRI Findings of Temporomandibular Joints with Disk Perforation

Objective: To investigate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of temporomandibular joints (TMJs) with disk perforation.

Study Design: Thirty-one TMJs (31 patients) with disk perforation, 37 TMJs (34 patients) with anterior disk displacement and no disk perforation, and 22 asymptomatic TMJs of 11 volunteers were examined by MRI. The presence or absence of disk perforation was confirmed by TMJ arthrography. The MR images were evaluated for the presence or absence of disk deformity, disk displacement, condylar bone changes and joint effusion and for visualization of the temporal posterior attachment (TPA) of the posterior disk attachment. Those findings were compared among the 3 groups.

Results: The incidences of anterior disk displacement and condylar bone changes in the patients group with disk perforation were significantly higher than in asymptomatic volunteers. Disk deformity and obscurity of TPA were significantly more frequent in the patient group with disk perforation than in the other 2 groups.

Conclusion: In addition to disk deformity, TPA obscurity was considered to be one of the characteristic MRI findings of TMJs with disk perforation.