[Assessment of velopharyngeal function in normal speech by CT].
OBJECTIVE
To find an objective method to assess velopharyngeal function by CT.


METHODS
Three dimensional conformation of the velopharyngeal orifice of 30 subjects with normal speech at rest and /i:/ position were observed and analyzed. The linear distance and area of velopharyngeal orifice were measured and analyzed statistically.


RESULTS
The average minimal area of velopharyngeal orifice at/i:/ position was 11.92+/-11.73 mm(2). The physical RVPI was 4.03+/-4.03%. Coronary closure was the most common type of velopharyngeal contraction which accounted for 50%, semi-ring type being 30%, and ring type being 20%. No sagittal closure were seen in this study. There were 70% subjects whose position of velopharyngeal closure was at the level of the first cervical vertebra, 26.7% above the level and 3.3% below it. The arrange of velopharyngeal closure was 9-12 mm in 83.4% subjects, and 3-6mm in 16.6%.


CONCLUSIONS
As a method of assessing velopharyngeal function, CT can not only observe the conformation of velopharyngeal orifice in three dimensions, but also quantitatively analyze the velopharyngeal function.
Yang
Y S
YS
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200011, China.
Qiu
W L
WL
Yuan
W H
WH
Tang
Y S
YS