Relationship between function and MRI biomarkers in tongue muscles

Motivation: Fat fraction and water-T2 have been identified as biomarkers of muscle tissue alterations in neuromuscular diseases and are linked to functional outcomes. Several muscle disorders implicate tongue muscles, yet due to the swallowing movement, quantitative MRI is rarely applied at this level. Goal(s): In this feasibility study, we proposed an application of quantitative MRI to tongue muscles. Approach: We combined functional evaluation of the muscle combined with an RF phase-modulated gradient-echo acquisition with 3D radial encoding to obtain FF and water T2 maps Results: There was a high but non-significant correlation betweenT2H2O and tongue strength in healthy volunteers. Impact: The use of quantitative fat fraction and water T2 imaging in tongue muscles in addition to functional testing represents a promising approach for evaluating these muscles.