Ultrasonic Diagnosis of Masseteric Hypertrophy in Oral Submucous Fibrosis: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Background and objectives: Oral submucous fibrosis is a well-recognized and most prevalent premalignant condition of oral mucosa in India and Southeast Asia. Frequent and prolonged chewing of gutkha (readymade mixture of arecanut, tobacco, lime, catechu and sweetening agent) exerts undue pressure on muscles of mastication, which inturn may result in work hypertrophy of muscle. The present study was undertaken to measure thickness of masseter muscle at rest and at maximum clenching position by ultrasonography with masseter muscle hypertrophy in oral submucous fibrosis patient and in control group, and also to establish the normal value of masseter muscle thickness ultrasonographically and to prove that uttrasonography is reliable diagnostic technique for the evaluation of masseter muscle hypertropy in oral submucous fibrosis patient. Materials and methods: Ultrasonographic measurements (3-12 MHz) of masseter muscle thickness were performed for 40 subjects comprising 20 oral submucous fibrosis patients and 20 controls. Results: Study group showed higher thickness both on right and left side masseter muscle and also in relaxed and contracted state when compared to controls. The thickness of masseter muscle is more in contracted state than relaxed state which was highly significant.