title: Quantitative evaluation of consistency of normal mucosa, leukoplakia and squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.
abstract: The quantitative differences in consistency of normal mucosa, leukoplakia and squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue were studied. Forty-five patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, 26 with leukoplakia and 80 with normal tongues were examined using an instrument capable of measuring consistency as a function of the load (in grams) needed to displace tongue mucosa by 2.0 mm using a probe 2.0 mm in diameter. The mean value for consistency in tongue carcinoma, leukoplakia and normal tongue was 22.1 +/- 8.0 g, 8.3 +/- 2.0 g and 4.8 +/- 0.7 g, respectively. Differences in consistency among these entities were significant (P < 0.001). Furthermore, consistency in tongue carcinoma was significantly correlated to tumour thickness (r = 0.954, P < 0.001). It was concluded that the consistency in tongue lesions was objectively and quantitatively evaluated by this method, and this technique could measure the thickness of the tumorous lesions preoperatively.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Amagasa
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshimasu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000473:pathology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*