Evaluation of the TMJ by means of Clinical TMD Examination and MRI Diagnostics in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Table 6

Results of the MRI evaluation for test subjects of the control group (group N, subjects) and the group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (group RA, patients).

MRI findings	Group N		Group RA
	left	right	left	right
Sample size ( individuals/ TMJs)	30	30	30	30
Condylar morphology
Convex	67%	73%	53%	50%
Flattening	33%	20%	17%	30%
Deformation	0%	0%	43%	40%
Gable shaped/pointed angle	3%	7%	3%	3%
Compacta (condyle)
No pathological findings	90%	78%	20%	23%
Erosion	0%	6%	40%	47%
Osteophyte formation	10%	16%	80%	67%
Spongiosa (condyle)
No pathological findings	100%	100%	50%	47%
Degeneration	0%	0%	50%	53%
Fossa morphology
No pathological findings	97%	90%	37%	43%
Erosion	0%	0%	17%	23%
Osteophyte formation	3%	10%	60%	57%
Disk morphology
Biconcave	73%	53%	57%	60%
Overall/central thinning	3%	7%	30%	37%
Biplanar	23%	43%	17%	20%
Flattening in the marginal area	20%	27%	10%	13%
Thickening in the marginal area	7%	0%	0%	0%
Deformation	0%	0%	17%	13%
Perforation	0%	0%	3%	7%
Destroyed/fragmented	0%	0%	7%	3%
Overall thickening	3%	3%	3%	0%