Comparison Of Transcranial Radiograph And Magnetic Resonance Imaging In The Evaluation Of Mandibular Condyle Position

Objectives: Several image modalities have been used to assess the condylar position in the glenoid fossa. However, despite the development of more advanced techniques for imaging the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the transcranial projection remains widely used in dentistry. The purpose of this study was to compare the condylar position in transcranial radiography (TRANS) with MRI. Methods: 70 matched pairs of TMJs (35 patients) who had undergone TRANS and MRI were evaluated. The TRANS scans were compared with the lateral, central and medial MRI scans, and the condylar position was assessed in the closed and open mouth position according to subjective and objective methods. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy values were calculated for each group and Bowker's test was used to analyse the data. Results: There was no statistical significance between TRANS and MRI (P > 0.05). However, even though there were similar mean values between them, the comparison with the lateral image showed higher values, which might be due to TRANS representing the lateral one-third of the condyle. Conclusions: It can be concluded that TRANS seems to be an acceptable method and its applicability as an adjunctive method in the condylar position should not be rejected. © 2008 The British Institute of Radiology.375293299Ren, Y.F., Isberg, A., Westesson, P.L., Condyle position in the temporomandibular joint. Comparison between asymptomatic volunteers with normal disk position and patients with disk displacement (1995) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 80, pp. 101-107Incesu, L., Taskaya-Yilmaz, N., Ogutcen-Toller, M., Uzun, E., Relationship of condylar position to disc position and morphology (2004) Eur J Radiol, 51, pp. 269-273Gateno, J., Anderson, P.B., Xia, J.J., Horng, J.C., Teichgraeber, J.F., Liebschner, M.A., A comparative assessment of mandibular condylar position in patients with anterior disc displacement of the temporomandibular joint (2004) J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 62, pp. 39-43Dijkstra, P.U., de Bont, L.G., Stegenga, B., Boering, G., Temporomandibular joint mobility assessment: A comparison between four methods (1995) J Oral Rehahil, 22, pp. 439-444Usumez, S., Oz, F., Guray, E., Comparison of clinical and magnetic resonance imaging diagnoses in patients with TMD history (2004) J Oral Rehabil, 31, pp. 52-56Westesson, P.L., Reliability and validity of imaging diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorder (1993) Adv Dent Res, 7, pp. 137-151Ozawa, S., Boering, G., Kawata, T., Tanimoto, K., Tanne, K., Reconsideration of the TMJ condylar position during internal derangement: Comparison between condylar position on tomogram and degree of disk displacement on MRI (1999) Cranio, 17, pp. 93-100Tsuruta, A., Yamada, K., Hanada, K., Hosogai, A., Kohno, S., Koyama, J., The relationship between morphological changes of the condyle and condylar position in the glenoid fossa (2004) J Orofac Pain, 18, pp. 148-155Pullinger, A., Hollender, L., Variation in condyle-fossa relationships according to different methods of evaluation in tomograms (1986) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 62, pp. 719-727Hollender, L., Barclay, P., Maravilla, K., Terry, V., A new coronal imaging plane for magnetic resonance imaging of the temporomandibular joint disc (1998) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 27, pp. 48-50Mohl, N.D., Reliability and validity of diagnostic modalities for temporomandibular disorders (1993) Adv Dent Res, 7, pp. 113-119Kurita, H., Ohtsuka, A., Kobayashi, H., Kurashina, K., A study of the relationship between the position of the condylar head and displacement of the temporomandibular joint disk (2001) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 30, pp. 162-165Weinberg, L.A., What we really see in a TMJ radiograph (1973) J Prosthet Dent, 30, pp. 898-913Weinberg, L.A., Role of condylar position in TMJ dysfunction-pain syndrome (1979) J Prosthet Dent, 41, pp. 636-643Serra, M.D., Gaviao, M.B., Evaluation of condylar position from transcranial projections in primary dentition (2006) Dentomaxillofac Radiol, 35, pp. 110-116Kaplan, A.S., Assael, L.A., (1991) Temporomandibular disorders: Diagnosis and treatment, , Philadelphia, PA: WB SaundersLiedberg, J., Rohlin, M., Westesson, P.L., Observer performance in assessment of condylar position in temporomandibular joint radiograms (1985) Acta Odontol Scand, 43, pp. 53-58Brand, J.W., Whinery Jr., J.G., Anderson, Q.N., Keenan, K.M., Condylar position as a predictor of temporomandibular joint internal derangement (1989) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 67, pp. 469-47