Ultrasound of the temporomandibular joint: a pictorial review.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a common cause of orofacial pain. Several imaging techniques can be used to aid diagnosis and management of patients. Ultrasound (US) is a non-ionising, inexpensive and widely available technique. This pictorial review aims to demonstrate the US changes associated with various TMJ disorders. Ultrasound examinations should be standardised and include static and dynamic evaluations of the joint. Several abnormalities can be detected in cases of osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, or disc disorders, such as cortical irregularity, effusion, or disc displacement. Ultrasound also enables joint aspiration, intra-articular injection and synovial biopsy with real-time control. This review also discusses the limitations of this imaging modality, with MRI remaining the gold standard for diagnosis in most cases. Nevertheless, ultrasound can still be considered an extension of clinical examination. It provides rapid and cost-effective diagnostic information and serves as a valuable complement to CBCT and MRI within a multimodal TMJ imaging strategy.