TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT - IMPROVED MR IMAGE QUALITY WITH DECREASED SECTION THICKNESS

To determine if the quality of spin-echo magnetic resonance (MR) images of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) could be improved by reducing section thickness, coronal and sagittal 3.0- and 1.5-mm MR images of the same joints were evaluated. Depiction of the disk, trabecular pattern, and cortex of the condyle was better on coronal 1.5-mm images than on 3.0-mm sagittal images (P < .01), and 1.5-mm sagittal images were better for depiction of the trabecular pattern of the condyle than were 3.0-mm images (P < .05). The ability of MR imaging with thinner sections to reveal more anatomic details should result in improved diagnostic accuracy.