Videostroboscopic images associated with glottographic waveforms

Abstract

Knowledge of vocal fold vibratory morphology in normal and pathologic phonation is important in understanding glottal airflow and acoustics. Although noninvasive measures of phonation such as photoglottography and electroglottography provide some information on vocal fold movement, inferences are required regarding which glottal events correspond to particular points on the glottographic signals. Thus confirmation of the relationship of glottography to the vibratory movements of the vocal folds is desirable and especially important when studying dysphonia. Here a new technique is reported in which sequentially obtained videostroboscopic images are associated with specific vocal fold vibratory events recorded glottographically. The system involves digitizing glottographic signals simultaneous with the horizontal sweep synch of the video signal and a 5‐ms synchronization impulse that is also recorded on the audio channel of a video recorder. The advantages of the system include the ability to sample many images and applicability to clinical investigation. Validation of the technique along with the demonstration of the images and waveforms obtained will be presented. [Work supported by a VA Technical Merit Review Grant.]