Ultrasound evaluation of swallowing in neurological diseases

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A pilot study in examining the feasibility and the validity of ultrasound evaluation of swallowing in people with neurological diseases

• IRAS ID

  319951

• Contact name

  Joan Ma

• Contact email

  jma@qmu.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Queen Margaret University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 6 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  Research Summary
  This pilot study aims to examine the feasibility and the validity of using ultrasound to evaluate swallowing function in people with neurological diseases

  Ultrasound Evaluation of Swallowing (USES) is an emerging tool for the assessment of swallowing. Compared to existing assessment tools such as the videofluroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), USES is considered more accessible and less intrusive to people requiring assessment. A recent study reported a prioritised agenda to support the translation of ultrasound into clinical practice for the purpose of swallowing assessment. Reliability and validity of data acquisition and measurement, as well as normative values in healthy and clinical populations, were ranked as the most important research priorities (Allen et al., 2022).

  This pilot study aims to investigate the feasibility and requirements of data acquisition for ultrasound swallowing assessment in people with neurological diseases. It will also compare the hyoid metrics (e.g., maximal displacement and velocity) based on the ultrasound to that of the VFSS images, and their link to the clinical diagnosis based on the VFSS results. In addition, this will also assess the acceptability of USES to people with neurological diseases. Findings will also be used to improve the accuracy of the ultrasound automatic tracking used to analyse swallowing images.

  Summary of Results
  We carried out a study to see if it is possible to use Ultrasound Evaluation of Swallowing in NHS clinics to assess the swallowing functions in people with neurological diseases. This study took place between May 2023 to March 2024. In this study, we used ultrasound to look at the participants’ swallowing on the same day as they had their videofluoroscopy (swallowing X-ray) done.

  The key findings are:
  1. We collected ultrasound swallowing data from 13 individuals with neurological diseases. This showed that it is possible to apply Ultrasound Evaluation of Swallowing in NHS settings. However, the recording set-up could be made simpler.
  2. Videofluoroscopy is better at giving an overall picture of swallowing, but an ultrasound of swallowing can give more detailed information on the movement of the hyoid. This might be more useful in some applications, such as monitoring changes in swallowing functions.
  3. The patient survey showed that the overall ratings of ultrasound and videofluoroscopy were similar. Some individuals found the ultrasound probe under the chin uncomfortable, while some people disliked the taste of barium in videofluoroscopy.
  

• REC name

  Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  22/YH/0270

• Date of REC Opinion

  11 Dec 2022

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion