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A new method for the study of velopharyngeal function using gated magnetic resonance imaging
Alex A Kane1, John A Butman, Rakesh Mullick
1Imaging Sciences Training Program, Laboratory for Diagnostic Radiology Research, Diagnostic Radiology Department, Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. kanea@msnotes.wustl.edu
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
|January 31, 2002
Summary
This study demonstrates a new gated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique for visualizing the velopharynx during repetitive speech. The method allows real-time imaging of velopharyngeal motion and pathology in patients with cleft lip and palate.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Speech Science
- Anatomy
Background:
- Conventional MRI struggles to capture rapid vocal tract movements during speech.
- Previous imaging methods were limited to static or sustained speech sounds.
- Dynamic imaging of the velopharynx is crucial for understanding speech physiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of imaging the velopharynx during repetitive speech using gated MRI.
- To develop a method for collecting and visualizing four-dimensional speech data.
- To evaluate the technique in healthy volunteers and patients with cleft lip and palate.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a 1.5-Tesla GE Signa LX MRI with a gated fast spoiled gradient echo protocol.
- Subjects synchronized consonant-vowel syllable utterances to a synchronized flashing light.
- Acquired images in sagittal, axial, and coronal planes, generating spatiotemporal volumes and 3D renderings.
Main Results:
- Developed a feasible gated MRI technique for dynamic velopharyngeal imaging during repetitive speech.
- Achieved real-time visualization of velopharyngeal anatomy and motion.
- Successfully imaged pathology-specific differences in patients with cleft lip and palate.
Conclusions:
- The developed gated MRI method enables effective visualization of velopharyngeal dynamics during speech.
- This technique holds potential for speech physiology research and clinical decision-making in cleft palate surgery.
- The method can aid in analyzing speech outcomes and understanding speech disorders.