Observation of tongue papillae by video microscopy and contact endoscopy to investigate their correlation with taste function.
OBJECTIVE
Contact endoscopy is a technique used to obtain detailed images of living epithelium in the fields of gynecology, rhinology and laryngology. Video microscopy is useful for observation of the surface of tongue papillae. In the present study, we attempted to apply the contact endoscopy technique together with video microscopy to observe tongue papillae, and to study the correlation between the condition of fungiform papillae and taste function.


METHODS
Ten subjects (3 men, 7 women) were divided into two groups based on the results of a taste examination by electrogustometry. We compared the shape and blood vessels of the papillae between normal taste and taste disorder groups.


RESULTS
In the normal taste group, round shaped papillae and clear blood vessels were observed with both microscopy and contact endoscopy. In the taste disorder group, flat and irregular papillae were observed with microscopy. Blood vessel flow of the papillae was observed to be poor with contact endoscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggested that the images of microscopy and contact endoscopy were related to taste function, and both techniques were useful for evaluating taste function.
Negoro
Atsushi
A
Department of Otolaryngology, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa, Nisinomiya City, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan. a-negoro@hyo-med.ac.jp
Umemoto
Masanori
M
Fukazawa
Keijiro
K
Terada
Tomonori
T
Sakagami
Masafumi
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation; D008875:Middle Aged; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014059:Tongue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D014743:Videotape Recording