In vivo measurement of the elastic properties of the human vocal fold.
The ability to measure the biomechanical properties of the vocal fold in vivo is both an aid to diagnosis and enhances our knowledge of how the vocal folds operate. This paper details a new instrument that is capable of taking readings of the spring rate of the vocal fold in a repeatable manner. We also present three sets of readings taken from two volunteer patients. Patient 1 was suffering from polyp growth, and the data presented are taken from both the damaged vocal fold and the healthy vocal fold. The third set of readings was obtained from a similar volunteer and taken from a healthy vocal fold. It can be seen that the data obtained from the healthy vocal folds are similar and that the data obtained from the diseased vocal fold is at variance.
Centre for Computational Intelligence and Bioinformatics Group, DeMontfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, UK. Eric Goodyer eg@dmu.ac.uk
Eric
E
Goodyer
Frank
F
Muller
Brian
B
Bramer
Dilip
D
Chauhan
Markus
M
Hess
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004548:Elasticity; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D008365:Manometry; D011127:Polyps / Q000503:physiopathology; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology