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Updated: Jul 20, 2026
11:15
fMRI Mapping of Brain Activity Associated with the Vocal Production of Consonant and Dissonant Intervals
Published on: May 23, 2017
The irradiated larynx and voice: a perceptual study
Journal of Speech and Hearing Research
|December 1, 1983
Summary
Radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer reduced voice dysphonia, but post-treatment voices remained distinct from healthy controls. Voice quality improved, shifting towards normal after treatment.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Radiation Oncology
Background:
- Laryngeal cancer significantly impacts vocal function.
- Radiotherapy is a common treatment modality for laryngeal cancer.
- Understanding the long-term effects of radiotherapy on voice is crucial for patient quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perceptually evaluate voice changes in male patients with laryngeal cancer after radiotherapy.
- To quantify the severity and predominant quality of dysphonia before and after treatment.
- To compare post-treatment voices with those of a healthy control group.
Main Methods:
- Perceptual evaluation of male patients' voices sampled pre-treatment and 1 year post-radiotherapy.
- Interval scaling of dysphonia severity by eight trained listeners.
- Identification of predominant voice qualities (e.g., rough, normal).
- Comparison with a control group of male subjects.
Main Results:
- Pre-treatment voices exhibited the highest degree of dysphonia.
- Radiotherapy led to a significant decrease in dysphonia severity.
- Post-treatment voices were not fully indistinguishable from control group voices.
- Over 50% of irradiated patients showed improved voice qualities (rough or normal) post-radiotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Radiotherapy effectively reduces dysphonia in laryngeal cancer patients.
- Vocal function improvement occurs post-treatment, but some vocal deviations may persist.
- Voice quality shifts towards normal parameters following radiotherapy, indicating treatment efficacy.
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