Diagnostic accuracy of TMJ vibration analysis for internal derangement and/or degenerative joint disease

Lower joint arthrography and videofluoroscopy were used to diagnose 297 joints from temporomandibular disorders (TMD) patients. The surface vibrations of the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) were recorded by electrovibratography and a parameter set was derived through frequency analysis. Total vibration energies were used as the primary separating threshold for abnormal joints. The following conditions were statistically discriminated by multi-variate analyses: I) meniscal displacement with reduction; II) meniscal displacement with a partial disk reduction; III) meniscal displacement without reduction; and IV) degenerative joint disease and/or perforation of the disk. Using the total vibration energy as a threshold, the diagnostic sensitivity for the abnormal joints was 82%, while the diagnostic specificity for the joints with no evidence of internal derangement was 75%. Discriminant analysis for the above-mentioned four conditions revealed a diagnostic sensitivity of 79.0%, 85.7%, 77.1% and 76.3% for conditions I, II, III and IV, respectively. The diagnostic specificity was 76.2%, 79.9%, 59.0% and 77.9% for conditions I, II, III and IV, respectively. It was concluded that vibration analysis of the TMJ could be clinically useful as a screening examination for TMD patients.