Development of Automatic Three-dimensional Reconstruction System of Temporomandibular Joint Using Magnetic Resonance Images

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Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diagnostic system which enables to automatically detect the bone surface of condyle and articular fossa from magnetic resonance (MR) images was newly developed. This system also made it possible to visually evaluate the three-dimensional form of the anatomical components and their spatial relationships.The process of detecting the bone surface consisted of detecting the contour from serial images by active contour model (Snakes) and detecting the surface by active surface model which was the three-dimensional extension of the active contour model. One cross-section through the center of TMJ was input by an operator to gain the initial model and then other cross-sections were automatically detected by the adjacent sections in which detecting contour was completed. Detected bone surfaces represented their anatomical feature and were three-dimensionally smooth. The validity of the detected contour was confirmed by comparing the results of this method and the … More manual trace by dentists.Three-dimensional reconstruction of the condyle and articular fossa, presentation of their tomogram in random cross-sections, and pseudo color grading of the distance between condyle and articular fossa on the condylar surface were performed. To evaluate the validity of this method, MR images of bilateral TMJs in a patient (45 year-female) who had pain in the right side TMJ and was diagnosed Temporomandibular Disorders with anterior disc displacement without reduction were used. As a result, osteophyte and flattening in the symptomatic side were recognized by the image of the three-dimensional reconstruction and heavily narrow articular space was found by the pseudo color grading of the distance between condyle and articular fossa on the condylar surface.In conclusion, this system was clinically valuable in automatic detection of the bone surfaces of condyle and articular fossa and in visual evaluation of three-dimensional form of condyle and articular fossa, and their spatial relationship. Less