Quantification of Vocal Fold Vibration in Various Laryngeal Disorders Using High-Speed Digital Imaging.

Objective: To quantify vibratory characteristics of various laryngeal disorders seen by high-speed digital imaging (HSDI).

Methods: HSDI was performed on 78 patients with various laryngeal disorders (20 with polyp, 16 with carcinoma, 13 with leukoplakia, 6 with vocal fold nodule, and 33 with others) and 29 vocally healthy subjects. Obtained data were quantitatively evaluated by frame-by-frame analysis, laryngotopography, digital kymography, and glottal area waveform.

Results: Overall, patients with laryngeal pathologies showed greater asymmetry in amplitude, mucosal wave and phase, smaller mucosal wave, and poorer glottal closure than vocally healthy subjects. Furthermore, disease-specific vibratory disturbances that generally agreed with the findings in the literature were quantified: comparing polyp with nodule, differences were noted in longitudinal phase difference, amplitude, and mucosal wave. In comparison with leukoplakia and cancer, nonvibrating area was more frequently noted in cancer.

Conclusions: The HSDI analysis of various voice disorders using multiple methods can help phonosurgeons to properly diagnose various laryngeal pathologies and to estimate the degree of their vocal disturbances.