Diagnosis by computed tomography of temporomandibular joint meniscus displacement

CT may be a practical alternative to arthrography for diagnosing displacement of the meniscus in the TMJ. In a study of 75 patients, 69 were diagnosed by CT to have meniscal displacement. Thirty-four diagnoses were subsequently confirmed by surgery or arthrography. Disadvantages of CT are cost (almost twice as much as an arthrogram), inability to diagnose perforations, and inability to judge meniscus dynamics, which can be done by fluoroscopy. Advantages are patient comfort, safety, and decreased total radiation dose. Continued research and clinical correlation will be needed to determine the role of CT in the diagnosis of meniscus displacement of the TMJ. However, initial results are promising, and CT may quickly replace arthrography as the diagnostic procedure of choice.