title: Comparison of reference points in different methods of temporomandibular joint imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Conventional radiography is a well-established method for imaging of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) structures. However, the dental computer tomography becomes more important for the visualization of teeth in the jaw-bone. The applicability of dental computer tomography for the visualization of the TMJ it not yet been proven. The aim of the study was to identify TMJ structures using reference points with the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to compare the visualization and measurement of the TMJ a total of eight human cadaver heads was examined with CT and MRI and analysed using reference points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both imaging techniques the selected reference points and distances are well definable and allow objective evaluation of anatomical structures. The CT images display a clearly better contrast to noise ratio than the MR images. The distance measurement of different width and length showed significant correlation of both images techniques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In TMJ diagnostics, maximum information could be obtained using both imaging techniques together due to synergistic effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Carl Gustav Carus Campus, TU Dresden, Germany. Tomasz.Gedrange@uniklinikum-dresden.de
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gedrange
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gredes
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hietschold
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kunert-Keil
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dominiak
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spassov
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laniado
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed