Laryngeal configuration of 99 dysphonic patients

The aim of this investigation was to study a wide range of dysphonic patients and determine the best matches among the laryngeal configurations on phonation for each patient and those previously established for control data, which were obtained from a professional voice user producing the whole range of voice qualities. Ninety-nine patients were selected and laryngeal photographs were produced for each patient. Fifteen laryngeal parameters were quantified and normalized. The data were sorted, scalar values assigned and a measure of similarity between configurations applied. The best, second-best, third-best and worst matches between each patient separately and the control data were then examined. Although 41% of the patients did not have particularly unusual configurations, 59% exhibited a narrowing of the laryngeal vestibule caused by epiglottic retraction, cuneiform fronting and/or false fold adduction. This suggests that clinical reports for patients with dysphonia should contain information not only on any lesions present but also on laryngeal configurations and, in particular, vestibular narrowing.