Vocal Tract Adjustments of Dysphonic and Non-Dysphonic Women Pre- and Post-Flexible Resonance Tube in Water Exercise: A Quantitative MRI Study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare vocal tract (VT) adjustments of dysphonic and non-dysphonic women before and after flexible resonance tube in water exercise (FRTWE) at rest and during phonation using magnetic resonance imaging.


STUDY DESIGN
Prospective study.


METHODS
Twenty women, aged 20-40 years, 10 dysphonic with vocal nodules (VNG) and 10 controls (CG), underwent four sets of sagittal VT MRI: two pre-FRTWE, at rest and during phonation, and two post-FRTWE, during phonation and at rest. The subjects performed 3 minutes of exercise. Nine parameters at rest and 21 during phonation were performed.


RESULTS
Pre-FRTWE, eight significant differences were found, three at rest and five during phonation: at rest - laryngeal vestibule area, distance from epiglottis to pharyngeal posterior wall (PPW) and interarytenoid complex length were smaller in the VNG; during phonation - laryngeal vestibule area, angle between PPW and vocal fold (VF), epiglottis to PPW, and anterior commissure of the larynx to laryngeal posterior wall were smaller in the VNG; tongue area was larger in the VNG. Post-FRTWE, only three significant differences were found, two during phonation and one at rest: during phonation - angle between PPW and VF and the membranous portion of the VF length were smaller in the VNG; at rest - distance from epiglottis to PPW was smaller in the VNG.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that the habitual VT adjustments of dysphonic and non-dysphonic women are different at rest and during phonation. The FRTWE promoted positive VT changes in the VNG, reducing the intergroup differences.
['Yamasaki|Rosiane|R|', 'Murano|Emi Z|EZ|', 'Gebrim|Eloisa|E|', 'Hachiya|Adriana|A|', 'Montagnoli|Arlindo|A|', 'Behlau|Mara|M|', 'Tsuji|Domingos|D|']
D000328:Adult D055154:Dysphonia D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging D011446:Prospective Studies D012137:Respiratory System D014834:Voice Training D055815:Young Adult
Vocal tract Flexible resonance tube in water exercise Vocal nodules Dysphonia MRI measurements