[Research progress on bone marrow edema in the temporomandibular joint].

Bone marrow edema (BME) of the temporomandibular joint is an abnormal change of the bone marrow that appears as low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images in MRI. It is commonly seen in patients with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis. Studies have shown that BME is closely related to joint pain, disc displacement and bone degeneration, but its specific mechanism is not yet fully understood, possibly involving abnormal mechanical loading, inflammatory response and bone metabolism imbalance. Although BME is considered an early sign of osteoarthritis, about 71.4% of patients still have BME persisting after pain relief, suggesting the complexity of its association with clinical symptoms. In recent years, advanced MRI techniques (such as T2 mapping and fat suppression sequences) have improved the detection rate of BME and helped to assess its dynamic changes. However, the exact role of BME in temporomandibular disorders remains controversial. This article reviews the etiology and mechanism, pathology, imaging characteristics, and correlation with clinical symptoms of BME in the temporomandibular joint, and proposes future research directions to further reveal its significance in disease progression and provide guidance for clinical diagnosis and treatment.