LATERAL PHARYNGEAL WALL-MOTION DURING SWALLOWING USING REAL-TIME ULTRASOUND

B-mode ultrasound imaging has been used primarily to detect temporal a nd spatial movements of the tongue during the oral preparatory and ora l stages of swallowing, The purpose of this study was to investigate t he application of M-mode (motion mode) ultrasound imaging as a method to quantify the duration and displacement of single regions along the lateral pharyngeal wall during swallows of two bolus volumes and durin g three swallow maneuvers (supraglottic, super-supraglottic and Mendel sohn maneuver), In 5 normal subjects, simultaneous B/M-mode images wer e captured at two regions along the lateral pharyngeal wall, Computer- assisted video analysis of each swallow sequence provided spatial coor dinates and durational measures. Results indicated no significant diff erences in displacements of the lateral pharyngeal wall across bolus v olumes, swallow maneuvers, or recording sites. Significant differences (p < 0.001) in lateral pharyngeal wall duration occurred as a functio n of volitional swallow maneuvers. Greater durations (p < 0.05) were f ound for the Mendelsohn and super-supraglottic swallow maneuvers, The data demonstrate that B/M-mode ultrasound imaging provides a simple, n oninvasive method to visually examine movements of the lateral pharyng eal wall and may provide a clinical method for assessing the effects o f direct swallowing therapies at the level of the mid-oropharynx.