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Hyoglossus muscle

The Hyoglossus muscle is a flat, quadrilateral muscle located in the oral cavity, forming an important part of the tongue's musculature. Originating from the hyoid bone and inserting into the side of the tongue, this muscle plays a crucial role in depressing and retracting the tongue. It is significant in both speech and swallowing. In medical imaging and anatomical dissection, precise identification of the Hyoglossus muscle is essential due to its close relationship with vital neurovascular structures.

Synonyms

  • Musculus hyoglossus

  • Hyoglossal muscle

Function

  • Depresses the sides of the tongue

  • Retracts the tongue

  • Assists in swallowing and speech by altering tongue shape and position

Nerve Supply

  • Hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII)

Artery Supply

  • Lingual artery (main branch)

  • Occasionally supplied by the sublingual branch of the lingual artery

Vein Supply

  • Lingual vein

  • Drains primarily into the internal jugular vein

MRI Appearance

  • T1-weighted images:

    • Hyoglossus muscle appears isointense to other tongue muscles (intermediate signal intensity).

  • T2-weighted images:

    • Hyoglossus muscle normally shows low signal intensity.

    • Pathological changes (e.g., edema or tumor) may increase signal.

  • STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

    • Hyoglossus muscle normally shows low signal intensity.

    • Pathology (edema, inflammation) appears as bright/high signal.

CT Appearance

  • The Hyoglossus muscle appears as a soft tissue density lateral to the genioglossus and deep to the mylohyoid muscle.

  • It can be differentiated from adjacent muscles based on its location between the hyoid bone and tongue, and its relatively uniform soft tissue density.

MRI images

Hyoglossus muscle MRI AXIAL IMAGE