Non-invasive quantification of human swallowing using a simple motion tracking system.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Clinical Diagnostics
• Gerontology

Background:

• Dysphagia prevalence is rising due to population aging.
• Objective swallowing assessment is crucial for managing dysphagia.
• Current methods like videofluoroscopy are invasive and not suitable for daily clinical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, non-invasive swallowing function measurement method.
• To utilize the Kinect v2 sensor for objective dysphagia assessment.
• To create a Simple Swallow Tracking System (SSTS) for clinical application.

Main Methods:

• Employed the Kinect v2 sensor for motion tracking.
• Defined and recorded five key parameters: three mouth-related and two larynx-related.
• Collected data from 2.5 seconds before to 2.5 seconds after swallowing onset.

Main Results:

• Mouth-related parameters peaked during swallowing.
• Larynx-related parameters peaked immediately after swallowing.
• The SSTS successfully quantified both oral and laryngeal phases of swallowing.

Conclusions:

• The SSTS provides a non-invasive, wireless, and easy-to-set-up solution for swallowing assessment.
• This system simultaneously captures mouth and larynx dynamics during swallowing.
• The SSTS is proposed as a valuable new tool for clinical dysphagia evaluation.