Trial of experimental ultrasonographic computed tomography for TMJ imaging

Abstract

We have developed the prototype ultrasound computed tomography (US-CT) which enabled to reconstruct usual TMJ ultrasonographs to sagittal direction tomographic images. In this study, the prototype US-CT was evaluated using a human dry skull with freshly dissected pig atricular disc as a custum ultrasound phantom. The results showed that sagittal section images of osseous tissue around TMJ were clearly visualized. However, a joint cavity and an articular disc were seen only in lateral portion of the condyle head. These results suggest that the prototype US-CT can visualize a sagittal tomographic image of lateral part of TMJ.