title: Feasibility of dynamic MRI for evaluating velopharyngeal insufficiency in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the feasibility of dynamic MRI with near-real-time temporal resolution for analysing velopharyngeal closure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven children and young adults (seven girls, four boys, mean age: 8.4 years) with suspected velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), and one healthy volunteer underwent MRI (1.5 Tesla) using T2 fast imaging sequences. Imaging was done without any sedation at rest and during various phonations in the axial and sagittal planes. Images were analysed by two radiologists, a plastic surgeon and a speech therapist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MRI examinations were well tolerated by even the youngest patient. A qualitative analysis found that the sagittal dynamic sequences during phonation were in relation to the clinical data in all patients. A quantitative analysis enabled calculation of the elevation angle of the soft palate in relation to the hard palate, the velar eminence angle and the percentage of reduction of the antero-posterior diameter of the pharyngeal lumen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dynamic MRI is a non-invasive, rapid and repeatable method. It can be considered a complementary tool to endoscopy and fluoroscopy, particularly in children, for assessing VPI without any sedation or radiation exposure.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Radiology, St Vincent de Paul Hospital, 82 Av Denfert Rochereau, 75674 Paris Cedex 14, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drissi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitrofanoff
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Talandier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Falip
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Le Couls
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Adamsbaum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010699:Phonation; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology