Utility of transoral motion-mode ultrasonography to detect tongue fasciculation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Introduction: Increasing evidence suggests the utility of the submandibular approach for ultrasonography to detect tongue fasciculation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We hypothesized that transoral motion-mode ultrasonography (TOMU) would be useful to detect tongue fasciculation in patients with ALS.

Methods: Patients with sporadic ALS showing clinically definite tongue fasciculation were enrolled, and the ultrasonography findings of patients' tongues on TOMU and ultrasonography by the conventional submandibular approach were analyzed.

Results: Six patients with clinically definite ALS were enrolled in this study. Although small, irregular muscle movements of 5 to 10 mm in amplitude and 0.1 to 0.2 second in duration were detected in all patients by TOMU, similar muscle movements were detected in only two of the six patients by the submandibular approach.

Discussion: TOMU appeared to be useful for detecting tongue fasciculation in ALS patients. Further study is needed to better determine its role as a diagnostic tool for ALS.