title: Three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging of velopharyngeal structures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the feasibility of using a 3-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol for examining velopharyngeal structures. Using collected 3D MRI data, the authors investigated the effect of sex on the midsagittal velopharyngeal structures and the levator veli palatini (levator) muscle configurations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten Caucasian healthy adults (5 women and 5 men) participated. A whole-head 3D MRI scan was obtained while participants were at rest in the supine position. Basic anatomic parameters of the velopharynx including midsagittal velopharyngeal structures and levator muscle configurations were compared between sexes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Detailed information on the 3D MRI protocol and data analysis method was introduced in the study. On the basis of the data, only the length of the levator muscle showed a statistically significant sex difference: Male participants had significantly longer levator muscles than those of female participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study successfully demonstrated the use of 3D MRI in quantifying major velopharyngeal structures and provided additional data on the anatomic variations that exist in healthy adult individuals.
authors: New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, USA. ykbae@nmsu.edu
authors: Youkyung
authors: Y
authors: Bae
authors: David P
authors: DP
authors: Kuehn
authors: Bradley P
authors: BP
authors: Sutton
authors: Charles A
authors: CA
authors: Conway
authors: Jamie L
authors: JL
authors: Perry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D010609:Pharyngeal Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055158:Velopharyngeal Sphincter / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult