Analysis of vocal fold function from acoustic data simultaneously recorded with high-speed endoscopy.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Speech Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Acoustic and endoscopic voice assessments are standard clinical tools for evaluating vocal fold vibratory function.
• Currently, these assessments are often performed separately, leading to inefficiencies and potential data discrepancies.
• This study investigates a more integrated approach to voice analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the utility of acoustic data recorded simultaneously with high-speed endoscopy (HSE) for assessing vocal fold function.
• To determine if acoustic analysis alone can effectively differentiate between healthy and pathological voice conditions.
• To evaluate the potential for reducing voice evaluation time through synchronous data recording.

Main Methods:

• High-speed endoscopy (HSE) and acoustic data were collected concurrently from 551 subjects (73 healthy, 148 paresis, 210 functional dysphonias, 119 benign lesions) during sustained phonation.
• Acoustic data were analyzed using Dr. Speech software, computing twelve parameters.
• Statistical analysis was performed to compare acoustic parameters between groups.

Main Results:

• Simultaneous recording of acoustic and HSE data was feasible, enabling analysis of the same phonation segment.
• Acoustic voice parameters exhibited significant differences between healthy and pathological voice groups.
• Gender-based differences in acoustic parameters were observed within the healthy voice cohort.

Conclusions:

• Synchronously recorded acoustic data alongside HSE is valuable for voice assessment.
• Acoustic analysis alone is sufficient for differentiating healthy from pathological vocal fold conditions.
• This integrated method offers objective analysis with reduced examination time.