title: Ultrasound of oral and masticatory muscles: Why every neuromuscular swallow team should have an ultrasound machine.
abstract: Patients with neuromuscular disorders often present with swallowing difficulties due to oral phase problems and pharyngeal residue after swallow. It is important to assess the underlying pathology and cause of the swallowing disturbance in this patient group, such as dystrophic changes in oral and masticatory muscles. This allows for more patient-tailored recommendations, for example optimal compensation strategies to maintain function for longer. Ultrasound can show structural changes caused by dystrophy or denervation of muscles, detect involuntary movements such as fasciculations, and provide dynamic video images of tongue motion during swallowing attempts. This article, based on the authors' extensive experience with ultrasound in neuromuscular disease, explains the concepts of oral muscle ultrasound and its proven value in assessing neuromuscular mastication and swallowing problems. As a patient-friendly and portable technique, we advocate its use as a standard tool for analyzing neuromuscular dysphagia. Clin. Anat. 30:183-193, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lenie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Den Engel-Hoek
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marloes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lagarde
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nens
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van Alfen
mesh_terms: D003679:Deglutition; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009055:Mouth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: dysphagia; muscle ultrasound; neuromuscular disorders; oral and masticatory muscles