Does clinical findings correlate with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain? A cross sectional study

BACKGROUND: Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) helps to clearly visualize the disorders in temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the relationship between cross-sectional and clinical findings has not been precisely established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between clinical symptoms and MRI findings in individuals with TMJ pain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study, conducted on the clinical and MRI findings of the patients, who applied to Uşak University, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic with TMJ pain between the years 2016-2019. The primary predictor variables were MRI findings; disc position (normal, disc displacement with reduction (DDWR), disc displacement without reduction (DDWOR)), disc structural distortion (normal, folded, lengthened, round, biconvex, thick), condyle degeneration type (normal, moderate, severe) and joint effusion (JE) (absent, present). The primary outcome variable was pain, recorded on a visual analog scale (VAS) (numbered between 0-10). The other variables were demographic variables (age/gender). The relationship between clinical and MRI findings were statistically evaluated. The data were analysed by Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney U test. Chi-square (x2) test was used for categorical variable comparisons. P values < .05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: Clinical and MRI records of 700 TMJ, from 350 patients with the mean age of the 31 (12-65) were evaluated in this study. Statistically significant differences were found between; disc position and pain, disc position and JE; JE and pain; disc structural distortion and pain; and disc structural distortion and disc position. JE was seen more common in DDWOR group. The most common disc distortion, seen in patients with JE, is the folded type. CONCLUSIONS: The present study can infer that pain is associated with disc position, JE, disc structural distortion, and DDWOR is associated with JE. Folded type disc is the most common disc type in TMJ with JE. Key words:Internal derangement, TMJ, MRI evaluation, disc morphology, disc position, condyle degeneration, joint effusion.