Merging the Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Images for the Visualization of Temporomandibular Joint Disk

Computed tomography (CT) depicts intricate bony details well, whereas magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers excellent contrast to the anatomy of soft tissues. This technical report offers a method to merge the CT and MRI images using Photoshop software and yield hybrid images that combine the key features of both CT and MRI. In this hybrid image, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disk was clearly displayed, and the relationship between the TMJ disk and surrounding skeleton structures, including glenoid fossa and condyle, also was finely demonstrated. Although the merging process is not absolutely accurate, the method presented in this article can be applied as a supplementary way to help the physicians to read the image of TMJ in an even better fashion and also may offer a useful method to help the junior physicians to quickly identify the TMJ disk.