Quantitative Measurement of Vocal Fold Vibration in Male Radio Performers and Healthy Controls Using High-Speed Videoendoscopy

Abstract

PurposeAcoustic and perceptual studies show a number of differences between the voices of radio performers and controls. Despite this, the vocal fold kinematics underlying these differences are largely unknown. Using high-speed videoendoscopy, this study sought to determine whether the vocal vibration features of radio performers differed from those of non-performing controls.MethodUsing high-speed videoendoscopy, recordings of a mid-phonatory/i/ in 16 male radio performers (aged 25–52 years) and 16 age-matched controls (aged 25–52 years) were collected. Videos were extracted and analysed semi-automatically using High-Speed Video Program, obtaining measures of fundamental frequency (f0), open quotient and speed quotient. Post-hoc analyses of sound pressure level (SPL) were also performed (n = 19). Pearson's correlations were calculated between SPL and both speed and open quotients.ResultsMale radio performers had a significantly higher speed quotient than their matched controls (t = 3.308, p = 0.005). No significant differences were found for f0 or open quotient. No significant correlation was found between either open or speed quotient with SPL.DiscussionA higher speed quotient in male radio performers suggests that their vocal fold vibration was characterised by a higher ratio of glottal opening to closing times than controls. This result may explain findings of better voice quality, higher equivalent sound level and greater spectral tilt seen in previous research. Open quotient was not significantly different between groups, indicating that the durations of complete vocal fold closure were not different between the radio performers and controls. Further validation of these results is required to determine the aetiology of the higher speed quotient result and its implications for voice training and clinical management in performers.

Analysis of voice quality in patients with late-onset Pompe disease

“…These values differ significantly from normal values when using similar methods [30]. Irregularity in the function of the vocal folds was observed in 5 patients.…”

“…The SQ value was observed to be significantly reduced in 4 patients (mean=0.63, median=0.44, with a range from 0.13 to 0.84) [30]. Irregularity in the function of the vocal folds was observed in 5 patients.…”

Laryngeal High-Speed Videoendoscopy: Sensitivity of Objective Parameters towards Recording Frame Rate

“…For males [6] and children [20], this issue seems to be less important as the posterior glottal chink occurs less commonly, resulting in lower OQ values, Table 5. However, large variations have been reported for OQ.…”

“…To establish HSV in daily clinical routine and actually to obtain advantages by applying HSV, image processing algorithms were developed to allow the computation of objective and quantitative measurements for HSV [15–17]. Based on these image processing algorithms, the first user-friendly software tools were suggested and applied in several studies [6, 18–20]. The basis for a quantitative HSV analysis is the segmentation of the glottis [15], namely, the area between the two vocal folds, Figure 2.…”

“…Hence, in this study we investigated the influence of the HSV recording frame rate on quantitative GAW parameters, since many different recording rates have been used in existing studies. Popular HSV recording frame rates are 2 kfps [7], 4 kfps [6], and 8 kfps [25]. Further, it was shown that too low HSV recording rates might also restrict subjective HSV analysis [9].…”