Analysing normal and partial glossectomee tongues using ultrasound.
The present study aimed at identifying underlying parameters that govern the shape of the tongue. A functional topography of the tongue surface was developed based on three-dimensional ultrasound scans of sustained speech sounds in ten normal subjects. A principal component analysis extracted three components that explained 89.2% of the variance at 33 measurement points on the tongue surface. The results from the principal component analysis supported a physiologically plausible three-component model of tongue movement. This model breaks tongue movement down into a protrusion and retraction component that is represented by the measurement points on the posterior tongue, a tongue tip control component that is represented by the measurement points on the tongue blade, and a dorsal height and position control component that is represented by the measurement points on the tongue dorsum. A case series of three patients with partial glossectomies illustrates how this measurement system can be applied to surgically altered tongues to allow a detailed analysis of post-surgical function.
Bressmann
Tim
T
Graduate Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. tim.bressmann@utoronto.ca
Uy
Catherine
C
Irish
Jonathan C
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005927:Glossectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D014059:Tongue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D014061:Tongue Habits; D014463:Ultrasonography