BUCCAL MUCOSA ASSESSED BY ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN HEALTHY ADULTS: METHODOLOGY AND DETERMINATION OF NORMAL APPEARANCE

The aim of the work described here was to compare intra-oral and transcutaneous ultrasonography (US) scanning and to determine the normal values of buccal mucosa thickness and echogenicity. A total of 190 volunteers underwent US examination of the buccal mucosa. The thickness of the buccal epithelial layer was recorded in 19 subjects via both intra-oral and transcutaneous methods. Overall, 171 healthy adults were examined through intra-oral US. Buccal epithelial layer measurement was unreliable via the transcutaneous method (p = 0.001). The mean time required for visualizing the buccal mucosa was 75 and 171s with intra-oral and transcutaneous US, respectively (p < 0.001). The thickness of the buccal epithelial layers significantly differed with age and sex (p < 0.001), and was positively correlated with height, weight and body surface area. Intra-oral US was proposed as a conventional method for examination of the buccal mucosa. Normal buccal epithelial thickness in adults is associated with age, sex, height, weight and body surface area. (C) 2019 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. All rights reserved.