title: Correlation between clinical symptoms and magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients with temporomandibular joint internal derangement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to clarify which findings in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are good predicators of pain and mouth opening limitation in patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) internal derangement (ID).
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical examinations for pain and mouth opening limitation were conducted for suspected TMJ ID. MRI scans were taken within a week of clinical examinations. On the oblique-sagittal plane image, readings were obtained in terms of the functional aspect of disc position, degree of displacement, disc deformity, joint effusion, and osteoarthrosis. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the predictors of pain and mouth opening limitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 48 patients (96 TMJs) were studied, including 39 female patients and 9 male patients whose ages ranged from 10 to 65 years. The resultant data showed significant correlations between pain and the MR imaging of the degree of disc displacement (P<0.05). The probability of there being pain in moderate to significant cases was 9.69 times higher than in normal cases. No significant correlation was found between mouth opening limitation and MRI findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified a significant correlation between clinical symptoms and MRI findings of ID. The degree of anterior disc displacement may be useful for predicting pain in patients with TMJ ID.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Wook
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Woon
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: On
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Song
keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Temporomandibular joint disorders