Current developments in imaging of the temporomandibular joint

The purpose of this paper is to provide a simple systematic approach to the diagnosis of polyarticular and monoarticular disease. The first part deals with common polyarticular disease, specifically the inflammatory, crystalline, and degenerative arthritides. The changes seen around the joint, as well as the distribution of the changes, characteristics of each anthropathy are demonstrated through the use of hand films. The second part of the presentation addresses the less well-known monoarticular diseases, specifically disorders that are diagnosed primarily by the radiologist rather than the clinician. These disorders include infectious arthritis, pigmented villonodular synovitis, synovial chondromatosis, and neuropathic arthropathy. The radiographic findings are not well known. Three categories of radiographic abnormalities are emphasized as an aid to diagnosis: juxtaarticular osteoporosis, subchondral cysts, and synovial calcification and debris