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Root of tongue

The root of the tongue, also called the tongue base, is the posterior third of the tongue that extends from the foramen cecum to the epiglottis. It lies within the oropharynx and is attached to the hyoid bone and pharyngeal wall. The root of the tongue is important for swallowing, speech, and airway protection. Accurate understanding of its anatomy and imaging appearance is critical for radiologists, ENT specialists, and surgeons, especially when evaluating tumors, infections, or congenital abnormalities.

Synonyms

  • Tongue base

  • Posterior tongue

  • Oropharyngeal tongue segment

  • Pharyngeal portion of the tongue

Function

  • Propels food and liquid posteriorly during swallowing

  • Contributes to airway protection by helping close the oropharyngeal inlet

  • Plays a role in speech articulation and resonance

  • Houses lymphoid tissue (lingual tonsils) contributing to immune defense

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • The root of the tongue appears as intermediate signal intensity, slightly darker than surrounding fat.

  • Lingual muscles are visible as intermediate signal structures; fat in the parapharyngeal spaces is hyperintense.

  • Air in the oropharyngeal lumen appears as a signal void (black), sharply outlining the posterior tongue.

  • Pathological lesions, such as tumors, appear hypo- to isointense and may enhance with contrast.

T2-weighted images:

  • The tongue base muscles and soft tissue show intermediate signal, while fluid, edema, or inflammation appears hyperintense, making pathologies more conspicuous.

  • Air remains a signal void, creating a clear contrast with the soft tissue.

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Suppresses fat signal to highlight pathology

  • Normal tongue base tissue remains intermediate signal; edema, infection, or tumor appears bright hyperintense

  • Air remains a signal void, helping delineate the airway and tongue margins

CT Appearance

  • The root of the tongue appears as soft tissue density posterior to the oral cavity.

  • The oropharyngeal lumen is filled with air, appearing hypodense (black), providing sharp contrast with the tongue base.

  • CT allows detection of masses, lymphadenopathy, calcifications, and airway obstruction.

MRI images

Root of tongue mri axial image -img-00000-00000

MRI images

Root of tongue mri sag image -img-00000-00000