title: Objective measurement of normal facial movement with video microscaling.
abstract: This study examines variability in facial movements in normal subjects using a new objective method of measuring facial movement, video microscaling. Video microscaling superimposes a computer-generated measuring scale over a video recorded image of facial movements. Distances moved are determined digitally. Eleven subjects were tested raising the eyebrows and smiling five times on two separate days. Test-retest, day-to-day, side-to-side, and intersubject variability were evaluated. Average variability was relatively low; however, some normal subjects exhibited considerable variability, particularly from day-to-day and from side-to-side. Because of this, a facial nerve grading system based solely on objective measurements of facial movements may be invalid. Video microscaling is a promising research technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Communicative Disorders, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Secic
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Good
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods