Visual evaluation for the elasticity of suprahyoid muscles using sonographic elastography during tongue pressure measurement: A pilot study.

Background: Suprahyoid muscles behavior during the tongue lifting movement has not yet been elucidated.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of elastography imaging to examine developmental oral dysfunction in children and oral hypofunction in older adults using sonography.

Methods: Tongue pressure was measured using a manometer with a probe. The tongue pressure was measured with simultaneously scanning the geniohyoid muscle (GHM) and the anterior belly of the digastric muscle (DGM) using sonographic elastography. Sagittal images of the GHM and coronal images of the DGM were used for the strain ratio measurement. The strain ratio of the muscles was measured three times for each subject with the tongue pressure values of 0-30 kPa.

Results: The strain ratio of the GHM were higher than those of the DGM at tongue pressure of 10, 20 and 30 kPa. The strain ratio of the GHM increased as the tongue pressure increased in all participants. In contrast, the strain ratio of the DGM tended to slowly decrease as tongue pressure increased in female participants.

Conclusion: Sonographic elastography is useful for visual and quantitative evaluation of elastic properties in suprahyoid muscles during tongue lifting movements.