Elisabeth Pittschieler1,
Pavol Szomolanyi2, 3, Martina Schmid-Schwap4,
Michael Weber, Hanns Plenk5, Siegfried Trattnig2
1Department
of Orthodontics, Bernhard-Gottlieb University Dental Clinic, Vienna, Austria;
2High field MR Center of Excellence, Department of Radiology,
Medical University of Vienna/Vienna General Hospital, Vienna, Austria; 3Department
of Imaging Methods, Institute of Measurement Science, Slovak Academy of
Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia; 4Department of Prosthodontics,
Bernhard Gottlieb Universitity of
Dentistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; 5Department of
Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
The dGEMRIC technique is feasible for the in-vivo assessment of the fibrocartilage disc of the TMJ, by evaluating T1(Gd) within the diagnostic window 60 to 120 minutes post contrast agent application. 2D-IR sequences showed a statistically highly significant drop of T1(Gd) in the articular disc of the TMJ after i.v. contrast agents administration of the 0.2 mmol/kg of Gd-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid. The 3D-GRE sequence based T1(Gd) mapping confirmed results, providing higher temporal resolution by measuring in shorter time steps. The regional distribution of T1 values showed similarities to histological GAG specific staining techniques of the TMJ disc.