Recent developments in understanding temporomandibular joint disorders. Part 2: Changes in the retrodiscal tissue.

The purpose of the second in the series of three review articles is to discuss the significance of changes in the retrodiscal tissue on MRI of the painful TMJ in patients with TMD. Decreased T1W or proton signal in the retrodiscal tissue is related neither to TMJ pain nor histologically clarified. However the increased MR signal, suggestive of higher vascularity, may reflect TMJ pain.