WS7.6. Approach to US of tongue and cranial nerves

Abstract

Bulbar muscle (including the tongue muscle) ultrasound is used as an alternative tool for detecting fasciculations in the diagnosis of ALS because the judgment of the presence of fasciculation potentials in needle EMG examination is always difficult in the tongue muscle. Also, bulbar muscle ultrasound is useful for the assessment of bulbar dysfunction and dysphagia. Nerve ultrasound can detect some cranial nerves. Sonographic optic nerve sheath assessment may be useful in the diagnosis of intracranial hypertension and optic neuritis. Sonographic facial nerve enlargement can be observed in patients with Bell’s palsy. Sonographic identification of glossopharyngeal nerve is useful for glossopharyngeal nerve block. Vagus nerve hypertrophy is seen in immune-mediated neuropathy and atrophy is observed in Parkinson’s disease. The spinal accessory nerve also can be detected by nerve ultrasound. Cranial nerve imaging by ultrasound can be a supplementary tool in the diagnosis and assessment of some neurological diseases.