Temporomandibular joint computed tomography in rheumatoid arthritis patients

الملخص EN

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of 22 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were evaluated clinically and assessed by CT scanning.

Ninety one percent of those patients demonstrated one or more CT abnormalities.

These included cortical erosions (90.9 %), subcortical cysts (45.5 %), flattening of the articular eminence (36.4 %), osteoporosis (18.2 %), subcortical sclerosis (13.6 %) and joint dislocation (13.6 %).

Most of these CT changes were found to be highly related to age, duration, severity of the disease and serum level of RF.

In addition, high radiological grading of both hands was significant in correlation with most of the CT changes in TMJ.

It became clear from this study that CT scanning is highly sensitive in evaluating the extent and severity of the disease process.

Besides, CT examination is very useful in detecting early changes of the TMJ that is important to avoid further affection of the joint.