An ultrasound examination of tongue movement during swallowing

Six female adults were studied during the production of four single swallows each, using real-time ultrasound. A pellet was affixed to the tongue at the junction between the (calculated) anterior third and posterior two-thirds of the tongue surface. Direction, rate, and extent of pellet movement were measured and used to create stages of tongue blade movement during swallowing. Pellet movement was then compared to the three stages of hyoid movement (ascent, steady, descent). Anterior-posterior and superior-inferior components of pellet movement were examined and discussed.