Background : The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of an ultrasonographic method for examination of dysphagia in stroke patients based on evaluation of tongue movement during the swallowing process.
Methods : Nineteen patients with acute stroke (13men, 76.1 ± 6.5years) in whom dysphagia was proven by videofluoroscopic examination of swallowing (VF) were eligible for inclusion in the tongue and oral function test with ultrasonography (TOFU) study. Sixteen age- and sex-matched individuals (11men, 73.4 ± 6.1years) served as controls. In the TOFU study, a patient was required to swallow saliva in the 30-degree head-up position. The tongue surface was visible as a bright narrow line on an M-mode image. We recorded the velocity of the tongue downward and upward movement (Vd and Vu) and the distance from the caudally falling to the cranially raised position (D).
Results : Vu of patients with dysphagia was significantly slower than that of control subjects (44.7 ± 11.1mm/s vs. 70.4 ± 13.4min/s, p<0.001), and D of patients was shorter than that of control subjects (11.4 ± 3.4mm vs. 14.7 ± 3.0min, p = 0.002). Vd showed no significant association.
Conclusions : These preliminary results suggest that TOFU is an accurate method for bedside evaluation of dysphagia in acute stroke patients.
