[The scanner and the temporomandibular joint; anatomic-radiologic comparisons. Apropos of 26 cases of masticatory apparatus pain-dysfunction syndrome].

Among 500 CT scan of temporomandibular joint (TMJ), examined since 1982 by bilateral direct sagittal method (Department of Radiology, Pr. A. Treheux, C.H.U. Nancy-Brabois), the authors have retained 14 cases of patients with symptoms related to TMJ's dysfunction cured by surgery (Department of Maxillo Facial Surgery, Pr. Stricker, C.H.U. Nancy). These cases were chosen among a hundred of patients annually examined by CT scan, for various diseases (TMJ's dysfunctions, traumatisms, infections, inflammatory diseases...) These correlations between radiology and surgery about 26 TMJ (2 patients underwent surgery only on one side) were: an accuracy with surgical findings for 19 cases (76%); in 6 cases (23%), a meniscus anteriorly displaced, non detected by CT scan was found by surgery; 2 cases of meniscus perforations (one in the frontal plane, the other sagittal) were surgical findings; in 1 case, a displacement was under-valued by CT scan; in 3 cases, arthrotic changes (1 case of Reiter syndrome) were characterized by CT scan. The authors emphasize the value and the limits of evaluation of the internal derangements of the TMJ with direct sagittal CT.