Traditionally, evaluation of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders includes plain film, arthrogram and CT scan. Plain film only reads bony abnormality, arthrogram makes patients discomfortable and the resolution of soft tissue image of CT scan is poor. The examinations mentioned above have the common disadvantage of making the patient exposed to harmful ionizing radiation. Recently the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of TMJ has been widely introduced. The MRI of the TMJ not only has the advantage of good resolution of soft tissue but also inflicts no ionizing radiation upon the patient. This article discusses how to interpret the normal and internal derangement of TMJ in MRI, and compares the MRI with plain film, arthrogram and CT scan in TMJ imaging.