High-speed Videolaryngoscopy: Quantitative Parameters of Glottal Area Waveforms and High-speed Kymography in Healthy Individuals

Abstract

Objectives. We conducted a study to obtain quantitative parameters of the vocal dynamic using highspeed videolaryngoscopy and to characterize the vocal fold vibration pattern of healthy individuals by analyzing glottal area waveforms and high-speed kymography. Methods. Laryngeal images of 45 healthy individuals were captured using high-speed videolaryngoscopy. The open and speed quotients of the glottal area waveforms and high-speed kymography were obtained and statistically analyzed according to the gender of each individual. Results. Glottal area waveforms revealed average values of 0.85 and 1.16 for open and speed quotients, respectively, for women, and 0.70 and 1.19 for men. Using high-speed kymography, quantitative parameters of open and speed quotients for women were 0.62 and 1.02, respectively, and for men were 0.57 and 1.12. By gender, a significant statistical difference emerged for open quotients obtained from both glottal area waveforms ( P = 0.004) and high-speed kymography ( P = 0.013). Conclusion. Obtained by using computational tools specifically for analyzing laryngeal images from high-speed videolaryngoscopy, quantitative parameters of glottal area waveforms and high-speed kymography in healthy individuals provide reference data and normality for future studies.