Quantifying Vocal Fold Vibration in the Coronal Plane Using Optical Coherence Tomography in Normal Human Subjects

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Otolaryngology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Current assessment of vocal fold (VF) morphology and vibration relies on surface visualization, primarily laryngeal videostroboscopy.
• There is a need for quantitative methods to assess VF biomechanics beyond surface observations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure VF vibratory dynamics in the coronal plane using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in healthy volunteers.
• To support a quantitative assessment of vocal fold biomechanics through novel imaging techniques.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional observational pilot study involving twelve healthy participants.
• Awake, transoral imaging using a custom-built, hand-held rigid laryngoscope with OCT technology.
• Phonation captured during sustained /i/ vowel production; a novel algorithm reconstructed phase-resolved VF vibratory cycles and extracted seven dynamic metrics (CQ, AaC, DPVT, CPVS, mucosal peak, amplitude, VPD).

Main Results:

• Seven novel metrics were successfully extracted from OCT data in all subjects.
• Significant gender differences were observed for divergent phase vertical thickness (DPVT), amplitude, and vertical phase difference (VPD).
• Correlation analyses revealed significant relationships between metrics, such as positive correlation between DPVT and closed phase vertical span (CPVS).

Conclusions:

• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of vocal folds during phonation is feasible in healthy subjects.
• OCT enables visualization of sub-surface VF anatomy and vibration, providing quantitative characterization of VF dynamics.
• This technique offers a promising approach for objective assessment of vocal fold biomechanics.