Temporomandibular joint: value of coronal MR images

To evaluate the use of coronal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in assessment of disk position in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), sagittal and coronal 1.5-T MR images were obtained of 158 TMJs in 79 patients. From the sagittal images, medial or lateral displacement was suspected in 24 joints. Displacement could be confirmed from coronal images in 21 joints but could not be confirmed in three. In 18 other joints, the coronal images revealed a lateral or medial displacement that was not evident on sagittal images. In seven of these 18, displacement was purely lateral or purely medial, whereas the other 11 had a combination of anterior and lateral or medial displacement. On the basis of only sagittal images, the seven with pure displacement would have been diagnosed as normal. Use of the coronal plane added diagnostic information to that obtained with sagittal imaging and may increase diagnostic accuracy. Coronal images are therefore recommended as a supplement to sagittal images in MR imaging evaluation of the TMJ.