Correlation between MRI-detected effusion and temporomandibular joint pain: A systematic review

The purpose of this systematic review was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the literature on the relationship between the presence of effusion, as determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and clinical pain in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The study was performed in order to answer the following clinical question: "Can MRI-detected temporomandibular joint (TMJ) effusion be considered a marker of clinical pain?"On June 15, 2024, a systematic literature review was performed in the PubMed® and Scopus databases. The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms used to initiate the search were "temporomandibular joint" AND "MRI". A PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome) structured reading model was employed to identify and assess articles that evaluated the correlation between TMJ effusion visible on MRI scans and clinical pain reported by patients. The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 539 articles were initially retrieved, of which 14 answered the research question. The review revealed a consistent pattern of results, with 12 out of the 14 articles reporting an association between effusion and pain.The findings indicate that there is a link between the occurrence of effusion and the experience of pain in individuals diagnosed with TMD.