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Topic

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Hyoglossus

The hyoglossus muscle is a thin, quadrilateral muscle situated in the lateral aspect of the tongue and the floor of the mouth. It plays a critical role in the movement and depression of the tongue, contributing to swallowing and speech. Its anatomical positioning makes it significant in head and neck imaging and surgical interventions involving the tongue or adjacent structures.

Synonyms

  • Musculus hyoglossus

  • Hyoglossal muscle

Function

  • Depresses the sides of the tongue

  • Aids in retracting the tongue

  • Helps flatten the tongue during swallowing and speech

Nerve Supply

  • Hypoglossal nerve (Cranial Nerve XII) is the primary motor supply

Artery Supply

  • Lingual artery (a branch of the external carotid artery)

Vein Supply

  • Lingual vein (drains into the internal jugular vein)

MRI Appearance

  • T1-weighted images: The hyoglossus muscle appears as an intermediate to low signal intensity structure, similar to other skeletal muscles

  • T2-weighted images: Shows low to intermediate signal intensity.

  • STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery): The muscle displays low to intermediate signal intensity; any abnormal high signal may suggest edema or pathology

CT Appearance

  • On CT scans, the hyoglossus muscle is visualized as a well-defined soft tissue density, posterolateral to the genioglossus and medial to the mylohyoid muscle. Its margins are best appreciated in contrast-enhanced studies due to adjacent fat planes and vascular structures.

MRI images

Hyoglossus muscle MRI AXIAL IMAGE