Fast upper airway magnetic resonance imaging for assessment of speech production and sleep apnea

Abstract

The human upper airway is involved in various functions, including speech, swallowing, and respiration. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can visualize the motion of the upper airway and has been used in scientific studies to understand the dynamics of vocal tract shaping during speech and for assessment of upper airway abnormalities related to obstructive sleep apnea and swallowing disorders. Acceleration technologies in MRI are crucial in improving spatiotemporal resolution or spatial coverage. Recent trends in technical aspects of upper airway MRI are to develop state-of-the-art image acquisition methods for improved dynamic imaging of the upper airway and develop automatic image analysis methods for efficient and accurate quantification of upper airway parameters of interest. This review covers the fast upper airway magnetic resonance (MR) acquisition and reconstruction, MR experimental issues, image analysis techniques, and applications, mainly with respect to studies of speech production and sleep apnea.

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“…146), apraxia (143,147), and post-surgical assessment of glossectomy (147,148) and cleft-palate repair (149,150). Many other applications and technical aspects of the upper airway imaging have been described in review articles with focuses on speech (23,141,151), speech and sleep (152), sleep (142), and image analysis techniques on RT-MRI of vocal tract motion (153).…”

Real‐Time Magnetic Resonance Imaging

“…Several clinical applications have also been explored such as velopharyngeal insufficiency (146), apraxia (143,147), and post-surgical assessment of glossectomy (147,148) and cleft-palate repair (149,150). Many other applications and technical aspects of the upper airway imaging have been described in review articles with focuses on speech (23,141,151), speech and sleep (152), sleep (142), and image analysis techniques on RT-MRI of vocal tract motion (153).…”

“…Several clinical applications have also been explored such as velopharyngeal insufficiency, 147 apraxia, 60,148 and postsurgical assessment of glossectomy 148,149 and cleft-palate repair. 150,151 Many other applications and technical aspects of the upper airway imaging have been described in review articles with focuses on speech, 24,144,152 speech and sleep, 153 sleep, 145 and image analysis techniques on RT-MRI of vocal tract motion. 154 The upper airway imaging generally requires high spatial and temporal resolution, although specific imaging parameters would be dictated by the applications shown in Fig.…”