Reliability of ultrasound-based measurements for tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness assessment in healthy individuals
Abstract Objective The morphology of the tongue and its relationship with the hard palate play an important role in the rehabilitation of patents with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). This study aimed to evaluate the intra-and inter-evaluator reliability of ultrasound measurements of tongue-...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Medical Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-02934-4 |
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| author | Yan Tang Shi-Zhen Zhang Yuan Yao Ji-Ling Ye Lei Jin Li-Li Xu Xin Jiang Zhong-Yi Fang |
| author_facet | Yan Tang Shi-Zhen Zhang Yuan Yao Ji-Ling Ye Lei Jin Li-Li Xu Xin Jiang Zhong-Yi Fang |
| author_sort | Yan Tang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective The morphology of the tongue and its relationship with the hard palate play an important role in the rehabilitation of patents with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). This study aimed to evaluate the intra-and inter-evaluator reliability of ultrasound measurements of tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness in healthy individuals. Methods Thirty healthy volunteers were assessed using a Mindray ultrasound device with a C5-1s probe. Two trained evaluators conducted two measurement sessions 1 week apart. Pearson or Spearman correlation analyses and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to determine measurement reliability. Results The ICCs for tongue-palate distance were 0.745 (intra-evaluator) and 0.611 (inter-evaluator). For tongue thickness, the ICCs were 0.855 (intra-evaluator) and 0.730 (inter-evaluator). Individual evaluator reliability was consistent: Evaluator A showed ICCs of 0.761 (distance) and 0.862 (thickness); Evaluator B showed ICCs of 0.788 (distance) and 0.841 (thickness). All correlations were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion Ultrasound provides a reliable method for quantifying tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness in healthy subjects. These measures could support clinical assessment and rehabilitation planning for conditions such as TMD. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ac722f5c87d14e01bec934f8e4a4655a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2047-783X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Medical Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-ac722f5c87d14e01bec934f8e4a4655a2025-08-20T03:42:30ZengBMCEuropean Journal of Medical Research2047-783X2025-07-013011910.1186/s40001-025-02934-4Reliability of ultrasound-based measurements for tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness assessment in healthy individualsYan Tang0Shi-Zhen Zhang1Yuan Yao2Ji-Ling Ye3Lei Jin4Li-Li Xu5Xin Jiang6Zhong-Yi Fang7Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineAbstract Objective The morphology of the tongue and its relationship with the hard palate play an important role in the rehabilitation of patents with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). This study aimed to evaluate the intra-and inter-evaluator reliability of ultrasound measurements of tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness in healthy individuals. Methods Thirty healthy volunteers were assessed using a Mindray ultrasound device with a C5-1s probe. Two trained evaluators conducted two measurement sessions 1 week apart. Pearson or Spearman correlation analyses and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to determine measurement reliability. Results The ICCs for tongue-palate distance were 0.745 (intra-evaluator) and 0.611 (inter-evaluator). For tongue thickness, the ICCs were 0.855 (intra-evaluator) and 0.730 (inter-evaluator). Individual evaluator reliability was consistent: Evaluator A showed ICCs of 0.761 (distance) and 0.862 (thickness); Evaluator B showed ICCs of 0.788 (distance) and 0.841 (thickness). All correlations were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion Ultrasound provides a reliable method for quantifying tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness in healthy subjects. These measures could support clinical assessment and rehabilitation planning for conditions such as TMD.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-02934-4UltrasonographyTongue-palate distanceTongue thicknessHealthy volunteers |
| spellingShingle | Yan Tang Shi-Zhen Zhang Yuan Yao Ji-Ling Ye Lei Jin Li-Li Xu Xin Jiang Zhong-Yi Fang Reliability of ultrasound-based measurements for tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness assessment in healthy individuals European Journal of Medical Research Ultrasonography Tongue-palate distance Tongue thickness Healthy volunteers |
| title | Reliability of ultrasound-based measurements for tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness assessment in healthy individuals |
| title_full | Reliability of ultrasound-based measurements for tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness assessment in healthy individuals |
| title_fullStr | Reliability of ultrasound-based measurements for tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness assessment in healthy individuals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reliability of ultrasound-based measurements for tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness assessment in healthy individuals |
| title_short | Reliability of ultrasound-based measurements for tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness assessment in healthy individuals |
| title_sort | reliability of ultrasound based measurements for tongue palate distance and tongue thickness assessment in healthy individuals |
| topic | Ultrasonography Tongue-palate distance Tongue thickness Healthy volunteers |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-02934-4 |
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