Abstract
Small flexible force-sensing resistor (FSR) sensors can detect laryngeal excursion during swallowing, but the detected laryngeal excursion has not been correlated with videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) results. Here, we tested the correlation of temporal parameters between the laryngeal excursion recording by FSR sensor and the hyoid motion recording by VFSS under simultaneously swallowing test recordings. Swallowing measurements were recorded in a radiological suite by simultaneously using VFSS and FSR sensors to detect hyoid motion and laryngeal excursion, respectively. Volunteers sat with their head vertical to the Frankfort plane. Two FSR sensors, each for detecting thyroid cartilage excursion and thumb pressing, were placed. VFSS images and FSR sensor signals during single 5-mL barium liquid (30% wt/volume %) bolus swallowing were collected and analyzed for four swallows per participant. In total, 15 men (28.0 ± 4.1 years old); 14 women (28.4 ± 4.2 years old) were recruited. Temporal parameters between VFSS and noninvasive system demonstrated a strong correlation by Pearson’s correlation analysis: in men (R = 0.953–0.999) and in women (R = 0.813–0.982), except for VT1–V1 compared with FT1–F1, which demonstrated a moderate correlation in women (R = 0.648; all p < 0.001). Only VT1–V1 and FT1–F1 in women displayed a significant difference (p = 0.001). Therefore, this is the first study to simultaneous record VFSS and noninvasive signals by FSR sensor. The correlation of temporal parameters between these two tests was strong. This finding is valuable for future applications of this noninvasive swallowing study tool.
Highlights
Noninvasive swallowing studies, a new trend, have several advantages
This study aimed to identify the relationship between the temporal swallowing parameters of laryngeal excursion signals detected using force-sensing resistor (FSR) sensors and hyoid motion images detected during videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), which were recorded simultaneously in young volunteers without dysphagia
The temporal parameters hyoid motion detected during VFSS and thyroid cartilage excursion detected using FSR sensors demonstrated highly significant correlation (R = 0.838–0.990, all p < 0.001; data not shown)
Summary
Noninvasive swallowing studies, a new trend, have several advantages Because it does not involve radiation exposure, it is suitable for studying early, subtle, or mild dysphagia [1, 2], and is favorable for collecting large amount of swallowing data, if short term follow-ups and repeated measurements are necessary [3]. Noninvasive oropharyngeal swallowing study tools are being used, and various noninvasive sensors are used to detect and record thyroid cartilage excursion from the skin surface. These sensors include piezoelectric sensors, accelerators, bend sensors, force-sensing resistor (FSR) sensors [1, 4,5,6,7,8,9], and sonography [10]. Each sensor and method has strengths, but different laboratories have objectives, conditions, and other factors (e.g., being familiar with software or hardware already in their laboratory), which may help them to make a choice between different sensors
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