MRI-Based Assessment of Masticatory Muscle Changes in TMD Patients after Whiplash Injury

Objective: to investigate the change in volume and signal masticatory muscles temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of patients with disorder (TMD) after whiplash injury, based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), correlate them other clinical parameters. Methods: ninety (64 women, 26 men; mean age: 39.36 ± 15.40 years), including 45 symptoms TMD injury (wTMD), age- sex-matched controls due idiopathic causes (iTMD) were included. was diagnosed using study diagnostic criteria for Axis I, MRI findings TMJ investigated. To evaluate severity pain muscle tenderness, we used a visual analog scale (VAS), palpation index (PI), neck PI. Results: indexes, VAS, PI, PI significantly higher wTMD group. In group, tenderness highest masseter (71.1%), temporalis (60.0%), lateral pterygoid (LPM) (22.2%), medial (15.6%) more frequent than that iTMD group (all p < 0.05). The most noticeable structural changes occurred LPM injury. Volume (57.8% vs. 17.8%) (42.2% 15.6%) presence positively correlated increased VAS scores only (r = 0.346, 0.020). prevalence anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADDWoR) (53.3% 28.9%) deformity 40.0%) (p headache, sleep problems, psychological distress Conclusion: abnormal their correlations characteristics different from those underlying pathophysiology may differ depending cause TMD, raising need treatment strategy accordingly.