Radiomic analysis of the trabecular texture of the mandibular condyle in individuals with subchondral cysts using helical computed tomography.

• Grant number: 25/07635-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Radiology
• Principal Investigator: André Luiz Ferreira Costa
• Grantee: Jennifer Larissa Oliveira do Nascimento
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde. Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul (UNICSUL). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Subchondral cysts are common findings in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and may reflect degenerative changes and bone remodeling processes in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Texture analysis applied to helical computed tomography (CT) enables the extraction of radiomic parameters from the trabecular bone, offering a promising quantitative approach to characterize these alterations. This study aims to investigate the association between mandibular condyle texture parameters and the presence of subchondral cysts in patients with TMD. Helical CT images from patients with and without TMD will be analyzed by extracting seven radiomic parameters using the MaZda software in trabecular regions adjacent to the cysts. The results may contribute to the identification of imaging biomarkers useful for the structural assessment of the TMJ and the early recognition of changes associated with TMD, supporting the use of radiomics as a complementary tool to traditional morphological diagnosis.