Use of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorders: a review.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the reliability of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.


METHODS
A review of the literature was performed, searching for all articles published between 1966 and 2006, and examining the ones which met the selection criteria.


RESULTS
Ultrasonography sensitivity ranged from 13-100% for the evaluation of disc displacement (DD), from 70.6-83.9% for the evaluation of joint effusion (JE), and from 70-94% for the evaluation of condylar erosion (CE). Specificity ranged from 62-100% for the evaluation of DD, from 73.7-100% for the evaluation of JE, and from 20-100% for the evaluation of CE. Accuracy ranged from 51.5-100% for the evaluation of DD, from 72.2-95% for the evaluation of JE, and from 67-94% for the evaluation of CE.
Melis
Marcello
M
Craniofacial Pain Center, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. marcellomelis01@libero.it
Secci
Simona
S
Ceneviz
Caroline
C
D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D019224:Temporomandibular Joint Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography