Magnetic resonance imaging findings of osteoarthrosis and effusion in patients with unilateral temporomandibular joint pain

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the presence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of osteoarthrosis (OA), and effusion. The study comprised 112 consecutive TMJ pain patients. Criteria for including a patient were report of unilateral pain near the TMJ, with the presence of unilateral TMJ pain during palpation, function, and/or unassisted or assisted mandibular opening. Bilateral sagittal and coronal MR images were obtained to establish the presence or absence of TMJ OA, and/or effusion. Comparison of the TMJ side-related data showed a significant relationship between the clinical finding of TMJ pain and the MR imaging diagnoses of TMJ OA (P=0.000), and TMJ effusion (P=0.000). Further, there was a significant relationship between the MR imaging diagnosis of TMJ OA and TMJ effusion (P=0.000). Use of the Kappa statistical test indicated poor diagnostic agreement between the presence of TMJ pain and the MR imaging diagnosis of TMJ OA (K=0.22), TMJ effusion (K=0.29), and TMJ ‘OA and effusion’ (K=0.30). The study's findings suggest that while clinical pain is correlated to TMJ-related MR imaging findings, clinical pain in and of itself, is not reliable for predicting the presence of TMJ OA and/or effusion. Validation of MR imaging diagnoses would involve the investigation of cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence to assess decisive differences in terms of prognosis and/or treatment outcome.