Morphometric Analysis of the Glenoid Fossa in the Skull Base.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between disc displacement and the presence of reduction by comparing condyle anteroposterior (AP) diameter, condyle height, mandibular fossa AP diameter, and mandibular fossa depth. METHODS: A total of 588 joints of 294 patients were included in the study for evaluation. Disc displacement and the presence of reduction, condyle AP diameter, condyle height, mandibular fossa AP diameter, and mandibular fossa depth were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 588 temporomandibular joint examined in the study, there was disc displacement in 141 (24%) and no disc displacement in 447 (76%). Of the joints with disc displacement, reduction was observed in 53 (9%) and not in 88 (15%).A statistically significant correlation was determined between condyle AP diameter and disc displacement (P = 0.00); in the cases with disc displacement, the condyle AP diameter was measured smaller. A statistically significant correlation was determined with condyle height, mandibular fossa AP diameter, and fossa depth. In the patients with disc displacement, the condyle height value was lower and the measured values of the mandibular fossa AP diameter and mandibular fossa depth were higher (P = 0.00). A statistically significant relationship was determined between the presence of reduction and age, condyle AP diameter, condyle height, and articular eminence depth. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, a deep and wide mandibular fossa, and a short and small condyle lay the ground for disc displacement in the temporomandibular joint.

Brain morphometric changes in patients with fibromyalgia.

The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a decrease or an increase in the volume of different regions of the brain by comparing brain morphometry ofpatients diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Syndrome and healthy control subjects. The study included 23 female patients who were diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and 18 females, age-matched healthy subjects. Structural Mitral Regurgitation data was processed using Surface-Based Morphometry (SBM) on the Freesurfer 6.0 programme (http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu). As a result of the surface-based analyses, a statistically significant reduction was determined in the Fibromyalgia Syndrome patient group in some brain region. A statistically signficant increase was determined in the FMS patient group with respect to the left anterior occipital sulcus volume, left inferior temporal gyrus thickness and left anterior occipital sulcus area. The results of this study showed that FMS affected brain morphometry through the brain central pain mechanisms and the normal brain morphology was changed because of atrophy in some areas and hypertrophy in some areas.

A comparison of visual analog scale and shear-wave ultrasound elastography data in fibromyalgia patients and the normal population.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to compare Visual Analog Scale (VAS) values with the Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) values of rhomboid major muscles in fibromyalgia (FM) patients with those of a normal healthy population. [Participants and Methods] Evaluation was made of 53 female patients diagnosed with FM according to the American Collage of Rheumatology criteria, and a control group of 47 healthy volunteers with a VAS score of 0. All the patients were applied with ultrasonography. The severity of pain was measured using a VAS. [Results] Mean age was calculated as 39 years (range, 23-60 years) in the patient group and 37 years (range, 21-58 years) in the control group. The mean SWE value of the rhomboid major muscle of the patients was 4.74 m/sn and 70.21 kPa on the right side and 4.46 m/sn and 58.78 kPa on the left side. In the control group, these values were 4.18m/sn and 55.03 kPa on the right side and 3.78 m/sn and 44.21 kPa on the left side. The mean VAS score of the patients was 7.3. [Conclusion] The use of SWE values could be more objective than the subjective parameter of the VAS score in the evaluation of the severity of pain in fibromyalgia.

Does diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging have a place in the differential diagnosis of brucella sacroiliitis and seronegative spondyloarthropathy?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate the role of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the differential diagnosis of sacroiliitis. PURPOSE: To compare the sacroiliac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations of patients with suspected active sacroiliitis with patients with acute SpA MR findings and the DWI examinations of patients with acute brucella sacroiliitis, and thereby determine whether DWI can contribute to the differential diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 84 patients were included in the study and were separated into three groups: group 1 (13 women, 6 men) comprised cases with brucella positive for sacroiliitis; group 2 (17 women, 19 men) comprised cases negative for brucella but with sacroiliitis; and group 3 (16 women, 13 men) comprised cases negative for brucella and sacroiliitis. RESULTS: The mean bone marrow apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values independently of edema were determined as 0.71 × 10-3 in sacroiliitis and brucella-positive patients, as 0.53 × 10-3 in brucella-negative and sacroiliitis-positive patients, and as 0.43 × 10-3 in the control group of brucella-negative sacroiliitis-negative patients. In the ADC measurements taken from areas of evident edema in patients with sacroiliitis, the mean values were 0.13 × 10-3 in the brucella-positive group and 0.12 × 10-3 in the brucella-negative group. CONCLUSION: By adding DWI, which is a rapid MR sequence, to sacroiliac joint MR examination, normal bone marrow and bone marrow with sacroiliitis can be objectively differentiated with ADC measurements in addition to visual evaluation.