The temporomandibular joint (TMJ), also known as the mandibular joint, is an ellipsoid variety of the right and left synovial joints forming a bicondylar articulation.
What is TMJ synovitis?
Patients with internal derangement (ID) or osteoarthritis (OA) of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) often have TMJ synovitis. When TMJ synovial membrane is damaged, many inflammatory cytokines are produced and secreted from TMJ synoviocytes to synovial fluid of TMJ.
Is synovial chondromatosis painful?
Moving the bones along this exposed joint surface is painful. In severe cases of synovial chondromatosis, the loose bodies may grow large enough to occupy the entire joint space or penetrate into adjacent tissues.
What bones make up the TMJ?
Top, The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is formed at the meeting point of the temporal bone, which is part of the cranium (skull), and the lower jaw bone, called the mandible.
Is TMJ a ball and socket joint?
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ), located just in front of the lower part of the ear, allows the lower jaw to move. The TMJ is a ball-and-socket joint, just like the hip or shoulder.
Does TMJ make your ear hurt?
Since the TM joint resides adjacent to the ears, it’s common to experience many TMJ symptoms in the ears. Patients can experience ear pain or clogged ears that they might pass off as an ear infection or allergies but is actually from TMD. TMD can also cause tinnitus (ringing in the ears from nerve irritation).
Is synovial chondromatosis a tumor?
Synovial chondromatosis is a type of non-cancerous tumor that arises in the lining of a joint. The knee is most commonly affected, however it can affect any joint. The tumors begin as small nodules of cartilage. These nodules can separate and become loose within the joint.
What bones are affected by TMJ?
The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are the 2 joints that connect your lower jaw to your skull. More specifically, they are the joints that slide and rotate in front of each ear, and consist of the mandible (the lower jaw) and the temporal bone (the side and base of the skull).
What are the radiologic features of synovial chondromatosis in the TMJ?
Noyek and coworkers (1) pointed out radiologic features of synovial chondromatosis in the TMJ, namely 1) widening of the joint space, 2) limitation of motion, 3) irregularity of the joint surface, 4) presence of calcified loose bodies (cartilage), and 5) sclerosis or hyperostosis (overgrowth) of the glenoid fossa and mandibular condyle.
What is synovial chondromatosis?
Synovial chondromatosis usually occurs in large joints, such as the knee or shoulder. It is a benign, chronic, and progressive condition that does not seem to undergo spontaneous resolution. Synovial chondromatosis of other joints has been reported to occur twice as often in males as in females, with a mean age of onset in the fifth decade (1).
Can synovial chondromatosis cause calcification?
Synovial chondromatosis is a rare pathologic condition, particularly in the TMJ. Calcification of the surrounding soft tissue, such as the ligament or tendon, and calcified deposits of the meniscus have been reported in several cases (3).
Is CT and MR imaging useful in the diagnosis of TMJ disorders?
Summary: Two cases of synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are presented, including correlation of CT and MR imaging characteristics with surgical and pathologic findings. The usefulness of CT and MR imaging in the diagnosis of TMJ disorders is discussed.
