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Sitzman TJ, Williams JL, Singh DJ, Temkit M, Snodgrass TD, Perry JL. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Velopharynx: Clinical Findings in Patients with Velopharyngeal Insufficiency. Plast Reconstr Surg 2024; 153:1155e-1168e. [PMID: 38810162 DOI: 10.1097/prs.0000000000010798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the only imaging modality capable of directly visualizing the levator veli palatini (LVP) muscles: the primary muscles responsible for velopharyngeal closure during speech. MRI has been used to describe normal anatomy and physiology of the velopharynx in research studies, but there is limited experience with use of MRI in the clinical evaluation of patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). METHODS MRI was used to evaluate the velopharyngeal mechanism in patients presenting for VPI management. The MRI followed a fully awake, nonsedated protocol with phonation sequences. Quantitative and qualitative measures of the velopharynx were obtained and compared with age- and sex-matched individuals with normal speech resonance. RESULTS MRI was completed successfully in 113 of 118 patients (96%). Compared with controls, patients with VPI after cleft palate repair had a shorter velum (P < 0.001), higher incidence of LVP discontinuity (P < 0.001), and shorter effective velar length (P < 0.001). Among patients with persistent VPI after pharyngeal flap placement, findings included a pharyngeal flap base located inferior to the palatal plane [11 of 15 (73%)], shorter velum (P < 0.001), and higher incidence of LVP discontinuity (P = 0.014). Patients presenting with noncleft VPI had a shorter (P = 0.004) and thinner velum (P < 0.001) and higher incidence of LVP discontinuity (P = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS MRI provides direct evidence of LVP muscle anomalies and quantitative evaluation of both velar length and velopharyngeal gap. This information is unavailable with traditional VPI imaging tools, suggesting that MRI may be a useful tool for selecting surgical procedures to address patient-specific anatomic differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Sitzman
- Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe AZ; and Greenville, NC
- From the Division of Plastic Surgery
- Department of Clinical Research, Phoenix Children's Hospital
- Barrow Cleft and Craniofacial Center
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Arizona
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University
| | - Jessica L Williams
- Barrow Cleft and Craniofacial Center
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University
| | - Davinder J Singh
- Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe AZ; and Greenville, NC
- From the Division of Plastic Surgery
- Department of Clinical Research, Phoenix Children's Hospital
- Barrow Cleft and Craniofacial Center
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Arizona
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University
| | - M'hamed Temkit
- Department of Clinical Research, Phoenix Children's Hospital
| | - Taylor D Snodgrass
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University
| | - Jamie L Perry
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University
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Perry JL, Snodgrass TD, Gilbert IR, Sutton BP, Baylis AL, Weidler EM, Tse RW, Ishman SL, Sitzman TJ. Establishing a Clinical Protocol for Velopharyngeal MRI and Interpreting Imaging Findings. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2024; 61:748-758. [PMID: 36448363 PMCID: PMC10243551 DOI: 10.1177/10556656221141188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional imaging modalities used to assess velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) do not allow for direct visualization of underlying velopharyngeal (VP) structures and musculature which could impact surgical planning. This limitation can be overcome via structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the only current imaging tool that provides direct visualization of salient VP structures. MRI has been used extensively in research; however, it has had limited clinical use. Factors that restrict clinical use of VP MRI include limited access to optimized VP MRI protocols and uncertainty regarding how to interpret VP MRI findings. The purpose of this paper is to outline a framework for establishing a novel VP MRI scan protocol and to detail the process of interpreting scans of the velopharynx at rest and during speech tasks. Additionally, this paper includes common scan parameters needed to allow for visualization of velopharynx and techniques for the elicitation of speech during scans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Perry
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Taylor D Snodgrass
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Imani R Gilbert
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Bradley P Sutton
- Bioengineering Department, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Adriane L Baylis
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Erica M Weidler
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Raymond W Tse
- Division of Craniofacial and Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Stacey L Ishman
- Division of HealthVine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Thomas J Sitzman
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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3
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Mason KN. Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Assessing Velopharyngeal Function: Current Applications, Barriers, and Potential for Future Clinical Translation in the United States. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2024; 61:235-246. [PMID: 36039513 PMCID: PMC9971336 DOI: 10.1177/10556656221123916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the assessment process for children with cleft/craniofacial conditions remains uncommon, particularly for velopharyngeal assessments. The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceived clinical utility of MRI for cleft/craniofacial providers and identify barriers that exist for clinical translation of this imaging modality to this population of patients. METHODS A 38-item survey was disseminated to craniofacial team providers. Workplace context and demographics, MRI as a research and clinical tool, access and barriers for use of MRI, and needs for successfully establishing MRI protocols at clinical sites were investigated. Descriptive statistics were used to identify differences in the clinical use of MRI across disciplines. Chi-square analyses were conducted to determine how different specialties perceived potential barriers. RESULTS Respondents reported that MRI is likely to be beneficial for clinical assessments (93.5%) and that this imaging modality is available for use (83.8%). However, only 11.8% of providers indicated the use of MRI in their clinical assessments. This discrepancy highlights a potential disconnect between perceived use and implementation of this imaging methodology on cleft and craniofacial teams. A number of barriers were identified by providers. Challenges and opportunities for clinical translation of MRI protocols were highlighted. CONCLUSION Results may guide the development for improved clinical feasibility and implementation of MRI for clinical planning in this population of patients. Reported barriers highlight additional areas for translational research and the potential for the development of clinical tools related to MRI assessment and protocol implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazlin N. Mason
- Department of Human Services, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903
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4
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Ruthven M, Peplinski AM, Adams DM, King AP, Miquel ME. Real-time speech MRI datasets with corresponding articulator ground-truth segmentations. Sci Data 2023; 10:860. [PMID: 38042857 PMCID: PMC10693552 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02766-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of real-time magnetic resonance imaging (rt-MRI) of speech is increasing in clinical practice and speech science research. Analysis of such images often requires segmentation of articulators and the vocal tract, and the community is turning to deep-learning-based methods to perform this segmentation. While there are publicly available rt-MRI datasets of speech, these do not include ground-truth (GT) segmentations, a key requirement for the development of deep-learning-based segmentation methods. To begin to address this barrier, this work presents rt-MRI speech datasets of five healthy adult volunteers with corresponding GT segmentations and velopharyngeal closure patterns. The images were acquired using standard clinical MRI scanners, coils and sequences to facilitate acquisition of similar images in other centres. The datasets include manually created GT segmentations of six anatomical features including the tongue, soft palate and vocal tract. In addition, this work makes code and instructions to implement a current state-of-the-art deep-learning-based method to segment rt-MRI speech datasets publicly available, thus providing the community and others with a starting point for developing such methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Ruthven
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE, UK
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, King's Health Partners, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | | | - David M Adams
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE, UK
| | - Andrew P King
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, King's Health Partners, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Marc Eric Miquel
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE, UK.
- Digital Environment Research Institute (DERI), Empire House, 67-75 New Road, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 1HH, UK.
- Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging, Barts NIHR BRC, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ, UK.
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5
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Velopharyngeal Incompetence in Children With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Velar and Pharyngeal Dimensions. J Craniofac Surg 2021; 32:578-580. [PMID: 33704984 DOI: 10.1097/scs.0000000000007202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT The surgical management of velopharyngeal incompetence (VPI) in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2 DS) is challenging. There are numerous approaches and children often undergo more than one operation. Our aim was to develop a method using images from routine lateral videofluoroscopy to study the dimensions of the velopharynx in this cohort.We analyzed 22 pre-operative lateral videofluoroscopy recordings of children with 22q11.2 DS and VPI. Fourteen had a submucous cleft palate (SMCP) and 8 had no obvious palatal abnormality but who were subsequently labelled as having an occult submucous cleft palate (OSMCP). The control data were 10 historic records of children with cleft lip and an intact palate. The authors identified key points on radiographs of the velum at rest and when elevated to measure the total velar length, functional velar length and pharyngeal depth and compared them ratiometrically.The intra-observer reliability was > 0.9 whereas the inter-observer reliability was > 0.74. The velopharyngeal depth/total velar length was significantly greater in 22q11.2 DS than the control group P < 0.001. There was no difference between SMCP and OSMCP patients, P = 0.556. There was no difference in the functional velar length/total velar length between 22q11.2 DS and controls (P = 0.763).In this study, the authors demonstrate a reliable method to gain useful ratiometric measurements of the velopharynx. This may help with treatment planning. Children with 22q11.2 DS and VPI have a larger velopharyngeal depth/total velar length ratio that may explain some of the difficulty in management.
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Martin J, Ruthven M, Boubertakh R, Miquel ME. Realistic Dynamic Numerical Phantom for MRI of the Upper Vocal Tract. J Imaging 2020; 6:86. [PMID: 34460743 PMCID: PMC8320850 DOI: 10.3390/jimaging6090086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dynamic and real-time MRI (rtMRI) of human speech is an active field of research, with interest from both the linguistics and clinical communities. At present, different research groups are investigating a range of rtMRI acquisition and reconstruction approaches to visualise the speech organs. Similar to other moving organs, it is difficult to create a physical phantom of the speech organs to optimise these approaches; therefore, the optimisation requires extensive scanner access and imaging of volunteers. As previously demonstrated in cardiac imaging, realistic numerical phantoms can be useful tools for optimising rtMRI approaches and reduce reliance on scanner access and imaging volunteers. However, currently, no such speech rtMRI phantom exists. In this work, a numerical phantom for optimising speech rtMRI approaches was developed and tested on different reconstruction schemes. The novel phantom comprised a dynamic image series and corresponding k-space data of a single mid-sagittal slice with a temporal resolution of 30 frames per second (fps). The phantom was developed based on images of a volunteer acquired at a frame rate of 10 fps. The creation of the numerical phantom involved the following steps: image acquisition, image enhancement, segmentation, mask optimisation, through-time and spatial interpolation and finally the derived k-space phantom. The phantom was used to: (1) test different k-space sampling schemes (Cartesian, radial and spiral); (2) create lower frame rate acquisitions by simulating segmented k-space acquisitions; (3) simulate parallel imaging reconstructions (SENSE and GRAPPA). This demonstrated how such a numerical phantom could be used to optimise images and test multiple sampling strategies without extensive scanner access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Martin
- MR Physics, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, St Thomas’s Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK;
| | - Matthieu Ruthven
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London EC1A 7BE, UK;
| | - Redha Boubertakh
- Singapore Bioimaging Consortium (SBIC), Singapore 138667, Singapore;
| | - Marc E. Miquel
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London EC1A 7BE, UK;
- Centre for Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging, NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
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7
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Arendt CT, Eichler K, Mack MG, Leithner D, Zhang S, Block KT, Berdan Y, Sader R, Wichmann JL, Gruber-Rouh T, Vogl TJ, Hoelter MC. Comparison of contrast-enhanced videofluoroscopy to unenhanced dynamic MRI in minor patients following surgical correction of velopharyngeal dysfunction. Eur Radiol 2020; 31:76-84. [PMID: 32740819 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-020-07098-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To compare dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with videofluoroscopy (VFS) regarding image quality and assessment of gap size between soft palate (SP) and posterior pharyngeal wall (PPW) in children and adolescents following surgical correction of velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD). METHODS Twenty-one patients undergoing unenhanced 3-T MRI and contrast-enhanced VFS were included in this IRB-approved prospective study. The MRI scan protocol comprised refocused gradient-echo sequences in transverse and sagittal planes during speech, with TE 1.97 ms, TR 3.95 ms, flip angle 8°, matrix size 128 × 128, and 5-mm slice thickness. Radial k-space sampling and sliding window reconstruction were used to achieve an image acquisition rate of 28 frames per second (fps). VFS with 30 fps was similarly performed in both planes. Closure of the velopharyngeal port during phonation was evaluated by two experienced radiologists. RESULTS Eleven (52.4%) patients displayed a complete closure, whereas ten (47.6%) patients showed a post-operative gap during speech. VFS and MRI equally identified the cases with persistent or recurrent VPD. Differences in SP-PPW distance between VFS (3.9 ± 1.6 mm) and MRI (4.1 ± 1.5 mm) were not statistically significant (p = 0.5). The subjective overall image quality of MRI was rated inferior (p < 0.001) compared with VFS, with almost perfect inter-rater agreement (κ = 0.90). The presence of susceptibility artifacts did not limit anatomical measurements. CONCLUSION Dynamic MRI is equally reliable as VFS to assess persistent or recurrent inadequate velum closure in patients following surgical treatment of VPD. KEY POINTS • Unenhanced 3-T dynamic MRI and contrast-enhanced videofluoroscopy are equally useful for the identification of patients with incomplete velopharyngeal closure during speech. • MRI using refocused gradient-echo acquisition with radial k-space sampling and sliding window reconstruction generates diagnostic images with 28 frames per second. • MRI can offer a radiation-free alternative to currently established videofluoroscopy for young patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- C T Arendt
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - K Eichler
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - M G Mack
- Radiology Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - D Leithner
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - S Zhang
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - K T Block
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Radiology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Y Berdan
- Department of Oral, Cranio-Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - R Sader
- Department of Oral, Cranio-Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - J L Wichmann
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - T Gruber-Rouh
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - T J Vogl
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - M C Hoelter
- Institute for Neuroradiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Ruthven M, Freitas AC, Boubertakh R, Miquel ME. Application of radial GRAPPA techniques to single- and multislice dynamic speech MRI using a 16-channel neurovascular coil. Magn Reson Med 2019; 82:948-958. [PMID: 31016802 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate: (1) the feasibility of using through-time radial GeneRalized Autocalibrating Partially Parallel Acquisitions (rGRAPPA) and hybrid radial GRAPPA (h-rGRAPPA) in single- and multislice dynamic speech MRI; (2) whether single-slice dynamic speech MRI at a rate of 15 frames per second (fps) or higher and with adequate image quality can be achieved using these radial GRAPPA techniques. METHODS Seven healthy adult volunteers were imaged at 3T using a 16-channel neurovascular coil and 2 spoiled gradient echo sequences (radial trajectory, field of view = 192 × 192 mm2 , acquired pixel size = 2.4 × 2.4 mm2 ). One sequence imaged a single slice at 16.8 fps, the other imaged 2 interleaved slices at 7.8 fps per slice. Image sets were reconstructed using rGRAPPA and h-rGRAPPA, and their image quality was compared using the root mean square error, structural similarity index, and visual assessments. RESULTS Image quality deteriorated when fewer than 170 calibration frames were used in the rGRAPPA reconstruction. rGRAPPA image sets demonstrated: (1) in 97% of cases, a similar image quality to h-rGRAPPA image sets reconstructed using a k-space segment size of 4, (2) in 98% of cases, a better image quality than h-rGRAPPA image sets reconstructed using a k-space segment size of 32. CONCLUSION This study confirmed: (1) the feasibility of using rGRAPPA and h-rGRAPPA in single- and multislice dynamic speech MRI, (2) that single-slice speech imaging at a frame rate higher than 15 fps and with adequate image quality can be achieved using these radial GRAPPA techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Ruthven
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andreia C Freitas
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, United Kingdom.,ISR-Lisboa/LARSyS and Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico - Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Redha Boubertakh
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.,William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marc E Miquel
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.,William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, United Kingdom
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Lim Y, Zhu Y, Lingala SG, Byrd D, Narayanan S, Nayak KS. 3D dynamic MRI of the vocal tract during natural speech. Magn Reson Med 2018; 81:1511-1520. [PMID: 30390319 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To develop and evaluate a technique for 3D dynamic MRI of the full vocal tract at high temporal resolution during natural speech. METHODS We demonstrate 2.4 × 2.4 × 5.8 mm3 spatial resolution, 61-ms temporal resolution, and a 200 × 200 × 70 mm3 FOV. The proposed method uses 3D gradient-echo imaging with a custom upper-airway coil, a minimum-phase slab excitation, stack-of-spirals readout, pseudo golden-angle view order in kx -ky , linear Cartesian order along kz , and spatiotemporal finite difference constrained reconstruction, with 13-fold acceleration. This technique is evaluated using in vivo vocal tract airway data from 2 healthy subjects acquired at 1.5T scanner, 1 with synchronized audio, with 2 tasks during production of natural speech, and via comparison with interleaved multislice 2D dynamic MRI. RESULTS This technique captured known dynamics of vocal tract articulators during natural speech tasks including tongue gestures during the production of consonants "s" and "l" and of consonant-vowel syllables, and was additionally consistent with 2D dynamic MRI. Coordination of lingual (tongue) movements for consonants is demonstrated via volume-of-interest analysis. Vocal tract area function dynamics revealed critical lingual constriction events along the length of the vocal tract for consonants and vowels. CONCLUSION We demonstrate feasibility of 3D dynamic MRI of the full vocal tract, with spatiotemporal resolution adequate to visualize lingual movements for consonants and vocal tact shaping during natural productions of consonant-vowel syllables, without requiring multiple repetitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongwan Lim
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Yinghua Zhu
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sajan Goud Lingala
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Dani Byrd
- Department of Linguistics, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Shrikanth Narayanan
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Krishna Shrinivas Nayak
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
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Ramanarayanan V, Tilsen S, Proctor M, Töger J, Goldstein L, Nayak KS, Narayanan S. Analysis of speech production real-time MRI. COMPUT SPEECH LANG 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.csl.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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11
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Hewer A, Wuhrer S, Steiner I, Richmond K. A multilinear tongue model derived from speech related MRI data of the human vocal tract. COMPUT SPEECH LANG 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.csl.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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12
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Lim Y, Lingala SG, Narayanan SS, Nayak KS. Dynamic off-resonance correction for spiral real-time MRI of speech. Magn Reson Med 2018; 81:234-246. [PMID: 30058147 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To improve the depiction and tracking of vocal tract articulators in spiral real-time MRI (RT-MRI) of speech production by estimating and correcting for dynamic changes in off-resonance. METHODS The proposed method computes a dynamic field map from the phase of single-TE dynamic images after a coil phase compensation where complex coil sensitivity maps are estimated from the single-TE dynamic scan itself. This method is tested using simulations and in vivo data. The depiction of air-tissue boundaries is evaluated quantitatively using a sharpness metric and visual inspection. RESULTS Simulations demonstrate that the proposed method provides robust off-resonance correction for spiral readout durations up to 5 ms at 1.5T. In -vivo experiments during human speech production demonstrate that image sharpness is improved in a majority of data sets at air-tissue boundaries including the upper lip, hard palate, soft palate, and tongue boundaries, whereas the lower lip shows little improvement in the edge sharpness after correction. CONCLUSION Dynamic off-resonance correction is feasible from single-TE spiral RT-MRI data, and provides a practical performance improvement in articulator sharpness when applied to speech production imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongwan Lim
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sajan Goud Lingala
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Shrikanth S Narayanan
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Krishna S Nayak
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
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13
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Freitas AC, Ruthven M, Boubertakh R, Miquel ME. Real-time speech MRI: Commercial Cartesian and non-Cartesian sequences at 3T and feasibility of offline TGV reconstruction to visualise velopharyngeal motion. Phys Med 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2018.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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14
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Perry JL, Mason K, Sutton BP, Kuehn DP. Can Dynamic MRI Be Used to Accurately Identify Velopharyngeal Closure Patterns? Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2017; 55:499-507. [PMID: 29554453 DOI: 10.1177/1055665617735998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been proposed as a non-invasive, child-friendly, reproducible, and repeatable imaging method providing a 3-dimensional view of the velopharyngeal structures and function during speech. However, the value of dynamic MRI as compared to imaging methods such as nasopharyngoscopy is not well understood. The aim of this study was to compare the ability of nasopharyngoscopy and dynamic MRI to accurately identify velopharyngeal closure patterns among adults without cleft palate. METHODS Participants included 34 healthy adults with normal anatomy between 19 and 33 years of age (mean = 23 years; SD = 4.1 years). Participants underwent dynamic MRI and nasopharyngoscopy studies and comparisons were performed to determine the intra- and inter-rater reliability for accurately determining closure pattern. The MRI acquisition was a dynamic acquisition of a 2D plane. RESULTS Strong inter- (κ = .824; P < .001) and intra-rater (Rater 1: κ = 0.879, P < .001, 94% agreement between ratings; Rater 2 with 100% agreement) agreement was observed for the identification of closure pattern using nasopharyngoscopy. Inter-rater agreement for ratings using MRI demonstrated moderate agreement (κ = .489; P < .004). Examining point agreement revealed only 27 of the 33 ratings of MRI showed agreement (80%). CONCLUSION This demonstrates that inter-rater reliability for determining closure patterns from nasopharyngoscopy is good; however, ratings using MRI was less reliable at determining closure patterns. It is likely that future improvements in dynamic imaging with MRI to enable 3D visualizations are needed for improved diagnostic accuracy for assessing velopharyngeal closure patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Perry
- 1 Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Kazlin Mason
- 1 Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Bradley P Sutton
- 2 Department of Bioengineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - David P Kuehn
- 3 Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
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Perry JL, Kollara L, Kuehn DP, Sutton BP, Fang X. Examining age, sex, and race characteristics of velopharyngeal structures in 4- to 9-year old children using magnetic resonance imaging. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2017; 55:21-34. [PMID: 33948051 DOI: 10.1177/1055665617718549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The purpose of this study was to quantify the growth of the various craniofacial and velopharyngeal structures and examine sex and race effects. Methods Eight-five healthy children (53 White and 32 Black) with normal velopharyngeal anatomy between 4 and 9 years of age who met the inclusion criteria and successfully completed the MRI scans were included in the study. Results Developmental normative mean values for selected craniometric and velopharyngeal variables by race and sex are reported. Cranial variables (face height, nasion to sella, sella to basion, palate height, palate width) and velopharyngeal variables (levator muscle length, angle of origin, sagittal angle, velar length, velar thickness, velar knee to posterior pharyngeal wall, and posterior nasal spine to levator muscle) demonstrated a trend toward a decrease in angle measures and increase in linear measures as age increased (with the exception of PNS to levator muscle). Only hard palate width and levator muscle length showed a significant sex effect. However, two cranial and six velopharyngeal variables showed a significant race effect. The interactions between sex, race, and age were not statistically significant across all variables, with the exception of posterior nasal spine to posterior pharyngeal wall. Conclusion Findings established a large age and race-specific normative reference for craniometiric and velopharyngeal variables. Data reveal minimal sexual dimorphism variables used in the present study; however, significant racial effects were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Perry
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Lakshmi Kollara
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - David P Kuehn
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Bradley P Sutton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Xiangming Fang
- Department of Biostatistics, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
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16
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Töger J, Sorensen T, Somandepalli K, Toutios A, Lingala SG, Narayanan S, Nayak K. Test-retest repeatability of human speech biomarkers from static and real-time dynamic magnetic resonance imaging. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 141:3323. [PMID: 28599561 PMCID: PMC5436977 DOI: 10.1121/1.4983081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Static anatomical and real-time dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (RT-MRI) of the upper airway is a valuable method for studying speech production in research and clinical settings. The test-retest repeatability of quantitative imaging biomarkers is an important parameter, since it limits the effect sizes and intragroup differences that can be studied. Therefore, this study aims to present a framework for determining the test-retest repeatability of quantitative speech biomarkers from static MRI and RT-MRI, and apply the framework to healthy volunteers. Subjects (n = 8, 4 females, 4 males) are imaged in two scans on the same day, including static images and dynamic RT-MRI of speech tasks. The inter-study agreement is quantified using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and mean within-subject standard deviation (σe). Inter-study agreement is strong to very strong for static measures (ICC: min/median/max 0.71/0.89/0.98, σe: 0.90/2.20/6.72 mm), poor to strong for dynamic RT-MRI measures of articulator motion range (ICC: 0.26/0.75/0.90, σe: 1.6/2.5/3.6 mm), and poor to very strong for velocities (ICC: 0.21/0.56/0.93, σe: 2.2/4.4/16.7 cm/s). In conclusion, this study characterizes repeatability of static and dynamic MRI-derived speech biomarkers using state-of-the-art imaging. The introduced framework can be used to guide future development of speech biomarkers. Test-retest MRI data are provided free for research use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Töger
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, EEB 400, Los Angeles, California 90089-2560, USA
| | - Tanner Sorensen
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, EEB 400, Los Angeles, California 90089-2560, USA
| | - Krishna Somandepalli
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, EEB 400, Los Angeles, California 90089-2560, USA
| | - Asterios Toutios
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, EEB 400, Los Angeles, California 90089-2560, USA
| | - Sajan Goud Lingala
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, EEB 400, Los Angeles, California 90089-2560, USA
| | - Shrikanth Narayanan
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, EEB 400, Los Angeles, California 90089-2560, USA
| | - Krishna Nayak
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, EEB 400, Los Angeles, California 90089-2560, USA
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17
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Burdumy M, Traser L, Burk F, Richter B, Echternach M, Korvink JG, Hennig J, Zaitsev M. One-second MRI of a three-dimensional vocal tract to measure dynamic articulator modifications. J Magn Reson Imaging 2016; 46:94-101. [PMID: 27943448 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.25561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To enable three-dimensional (3D) vocal tract imaging of dynamic singing or speech tasks at voxel sizes of 1.6 × 1.6 × 1.3 mm3 at 1.3 s per image. MATERIALS AND METHODS A Stack-of-Stars method was implemented and enhanced to allow for fast and efficient k-space sampling of the box-shaped vocal tract using a 3 Tesla MRI system. Images were reconstructed using an off-line image reconstruction using compressed sensing theory, leading to the abovementioned spatial and temporal resolutions. To validate spatial resolution, a phantom with holes of defined sizes was measured. The applicability of the imaging method was validated in an eight-subject study of amateur singers that were required to sustain phonation at a constant pitch, past their comfortable expiratory level. A segmentation of the vocal tract over all phonation time steps was done for one subject. Anatomical distances (larynx position and pharynx width) were calculated and compared for all subjects. RESULTS Analysis of the phantom study revealed that the imaging method could provide at least 1.6 mm isotropic resolution. Visual inspection of the segmented vocal tract during phonation showed modifications of the lips, tongue, and larynx position in all three dimensions. The mean larynx position per subject amounted to 52-85 mm, deviating up to 5% over phonation time. Parameter pharynx width was 32-181 mm2 on average per subject, deviating up to 16% over phonation time. Visual inspection of the parameter course revealed no common compensation strategy for long sustained phonation. CONCLUSION The results of both phantom and in vivo measurements show the applicability of the fast 3D imaging method for voice research and indicate that modifications in all three dimensions can be observed and quantified. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 1 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:94-101.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Burdumy
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Freiburg, Germany.,University Medical Center Freiburg, Institute of Musicians' Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Louisa Traser
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Institute of Musicians' Medicine, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Burk
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Institute of Musicians' Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Richter
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Institute of Musicians' Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Echternach
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Institute of Musicians' Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jan G Korvink
- Institute of Microstructure Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jürgen Hennig
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Maxim Zaitsev
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Freiburg, Germany
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Carey D, McGettigan C. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and vocal tract: Applications to the study of speech production and language learning. Neuropsychologia 2016; 98:201-211. [PMID: 27288115 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The human vocal system is highly plastic, allowing for the flexible expression of language, mood and intentions. However, this plasticity is not stable throughout the life span, and it is well documented that adult learners encounter greater difficulty than children in acquiring the sounds of foreign languages. Researchers have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to interrogate the neural substrates of vocal imitation and learning, and the correlates of individual differences in phonetic "talent". In parallel, a growing body of work using MR technology to directly image the vocal tract in real time during speech has offered primarily descriptive accounts of phonetic variation within and across languages. In this paper, we review the contribution of neural MRI to our understanding of vocal learning, and give an overview of vocal tract imaging and its potential to inform the field. We propose methods by which our understanding of speech production and learning could be advanced through the combined measurement of articulation and brain activity using MRI - specifically, we describe a novel paradigm, developed in our laboratory, that uses both MRI techniques to for the first time map directly between neural, articulatory and acoustic data in the investigation of vocalisation. This non-invasive, multimodal imaging method could be used to track central and peripheral correlates of spoken language learning, and speech recovery in clinical settings, as well as provide insights into potential sites for targeted neural interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Carey
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Carolyn McGettigan
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
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Freitas AC, Wylezinska M, Birch MJ, Petersen SE, Miquel ME. Comparison of Cartesian and Non-Cartesian Real-Time MRI Sequences at 1.5T to Assess Velar Motion and Velopharyngeal Closure during Speech. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153322. [PMID: 27073905 PMCID: PMC4830548 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dynamic imaging of the vocal tract using real-time MRI has been an active and growing area of research, having demonstrated great potential to become routinely performed in the clinical evaluation of speech and swallowing disorders. Although many technical advances have been made in regards to acquisition and reconstruction methodologies, there is still no consensus in best practice protocols. This study aims to compare Cartesian and non-Cartesian real-time MRI sequences, regarding image quality and temporal resolution trade-off, for dynamic speech imaging. Five subjects were imaged at 1.5T, while performing normal phonation, in order to assess velar motion and velopharyngeal closure. Data was acquired using both Cartesian and non-Cartesian (spiral and radial) real-time sequences at five different spatial-temporal resolution sets, between 10 fps (1.7×1.7×10 mm3) and 25 fps (1.5×1.5×10 mm3). Only standard scanning resources provided by the MRI scanner manufacturer were used to ensure easy applicability to clinical evaluation and reproducibility. Data sets were evaluated by comparing measurements of the velar structure, dynamic contrast-to-noise ratio and image quality visual scoring. Results showed that for all proposed sequences, FLASH spiral acquisitions provided higher contrast-to-noise ratio, up to a 170.34% increase at 20 fps, than equivalent bSSFP Cartesian acquisitions for the same spatial-temporal resolution. At higher frame rates (22 and 25 fps), spiral protocols were optimal and provided higher CNR and visual scoring than equivalent radial protocols. Comparison of dynamic imaging at 10 and 22 fps for radial and spiral acquisitions revealed no significant difference in CNR performance, thus indicating that temporal resolution can be doubled without compromising spatial resolution (1.9×1.9 mm2) or CNR. In summary, this study suggests that the use of FLASH spiral protocols should be preferred over bSSFP Cartesian for the dynamic imaging of velopharyngeal closure, as it allows for an improvement in CNR and overall image quality without compromising spatial-temporal resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia C. Freitas
- NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit at Barts, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marzena Wylezinska
- NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit at Barts, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Malcolm J. Birch
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Steffen E. Petersen
- NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit at Barts, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marc E. Miquel
- NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit at Barts, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
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20
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Perry JL, Kuehn DP, Sutton BP, Fang X. Velopharyngeal Structural and Functional Assessment of Speech in Young Children Using Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2016; 54:408-422. [PMID: 27031268 DOI: 10.1597/15-120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to demonstrate a novel method for examining the velopharyngeal mechanism using static and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the sentence-level production in young children with normal anatomy. This study examined whether velopharyngeal events occurring in the midsagittal plane are correlated to muscle events occurring along the plane of velopharyngeal closure. Adenoid involvement in velopharyngeal function was also explored. METHODS A high-resolution, T2-weighted turbo-spin-echo three-dimensional anatomical scan was used to acquire static velopharyngeal data and a fast-gradient echo fast low angle shot multishot spiral technique (15.8 frames per second) was used to acquire dynamic data on 11 children between 4 and 9 years old. RESULTS Changes in velar knee height from rest to the bilabial /p/ production was strongly correlated with changes in the velar configuration (r = 0.680, P = .021) and levator muscle contraction (r = 0.703, P = .016). Velar configuration was highly correlated to levator muscle changes (r = 0.685, P = .020). Mean alpha angle during bilabial /p/ production was 176°, which demonstrated that subjects achieve velopharyngeal closure at or just below the palatal plane. Subjects with a larger adenoid pad used significantly less (r = -0.660, P = .027) levator muscle contraction compared with individuals with smaller adenoids. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates a potentially useful technique in dynamic MRI that does not rely on cyclic repetitions or sustained phonation. This study lends support to the clinical potential of dynamic MRI methods for cleft palate management.
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21
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Toutios A, Narayanan SS. Advances in real-time magnetic resonance imaging of the vocal tract for speech science and technology research. APSIPA TRANSACTIONS ON SIGNAL AND INFORMATION PROCESSING 2016; 5:e6. [PMID: 27833745 PMCID: PMC5100697 DOI: 10.1017/atsip.2016.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Real-time magnetic resonance imaging (rtMRI) of the moving vocal tract during running speech production is an important emerging tool for speech production research providing dynamic information of a speaker's upper airway from the entire mid-sagittal plane or any other scan plane of interest. There have been several advances in the development of speech rtMRI and corresponding analysis tools, and their application to domains such as phonetics and phonological theory, articulatory modeling, and speaker characterization. An important recent development has been the open release of a database that includes speech rtMRI data from five male and five female speakers of American English each producing 460 phonetically balanced sentences. The purpose of the present paper is to give an overview and outlook of the advances in rtMRI as a tool for speech research and technology development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asterios Toutios
- Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory (SAIL), University of Southern California (USC), 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Shrikanth S Narayanan
- Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory (SAIL), University of Southern California (USC), 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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Lingala SG, Zhu Y, Kim YC, Toutios A, Narayanan S, Nayak KS. A fast and flexible MRI system for the study of dynamic vocal tract shaping. Magn Reson Med 2016; 77:112-125. [PMID: 26778178 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.26090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Revised: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this work was to develop and evaluate an MRI-based system for study of dynamic vocal tract shaping during speech production, which provides high spatial and temporal resolution. METHODS The proposed system utilizes (a) custom eight-channel upper airway coils that have high sensitivity to upper airway regions of interest, (b) two-dimensional golden angle spiral gradient echo acquisition, (c) on-the-fly view-sharing reconstruction, and (d) off-line temporal finite difference constrained reconstruction. The system also provides simultaneous noise-cancelled and temporally aligned audio. The system is evaluated in 3 healthy volunteers, and 1 tongue cancer patient, with a broad range of speech tasks. RESULTS We report spatiotemporal resolutions of 2.4 × 2.4 mm2 every 12 ms for single-slice imaging, and 2.4 × 2.4 mm2 every 36 ms for three-slice imaging, which reflects roughly 7-fold acceleration over Nyquist sampling. This system demonstrates improved temporal fidelity in capturing rapid vocal tract shaping for tasks, such as producing consonant clusters in speech, and beat-boxing sounds. Novel acoustic-articulatory analysis was also demonstrated. CONCLUSION A synergistic combination of custom coils, spiral acquisitions, and constrained reconstruction enables visualization of rapid speech with high spatiotemporal resolution in multiple planes. Magn Reson Med 77:112-125, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajan Goud Lingala
- Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Yinghua Zhu
- Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | - Asterios Toutios
- Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | - Krishna S Nayak
- Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
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Lingala SG, Sutton BP, Miquel ME, Nayak KS. Recommendations for real-time speech MRI. J Magn Reson Imaging 2016; 43:28-44. [PMID: 26174802 PMCID: PMC5079859 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.24997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Real-time magnetic resonance imaging (RT-MRI) is being increasingly used for speech and vocal production research studies. Several imaging protocols have emerged based on advances in RT-MRI acquisition, reconstruction, and audio-processing methods. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art, discusses technical considerations, and provides specific guidance for new groups entering this field. We provide recommendations for performing RT-MRI of the upper airway. This is a consensus statement stemming from the ISMRM-endorsed Speech MRI summit held in Los Angeles, February 2014. A major unmet need identified at the summit was the need for consensus on protocols that can be easily adapted by researchers equipped with conventional MRI systems. To this end, we provide a discussion of tradeoffs in RT-MRI in terms of acquisition requirements, a priori assumptions, artifacts, computational load, and performance for different speech tasks. We provide four recommended protocols and identify appropriate acquisition and reconstruction tools. We list pointers to open-source software that facilitate implementation. We conclude by discussing current open challenges in the methodological aspects of RT-MRI of speech.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brad P. Sutton
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
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24
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Özen AC, Traser L, Echternach M, Dadakova T, Burdumy M, Richter B, Bock M. Ensuring safety and functionality of electroglottography measurements during dynamic pulmonary MRI. Magn Reson Med 2015; 76:1629-1635. [PMID: 26599237 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.26037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Revised: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To combine vocal tract measurements with dynamic MRI of the lungs to provide fundamental insights into the lung physiology during singing. METHODS To analyze vocal fold oscillatory patterns during dynamic lung MRI, an electroglottography (EGG) system was modified to allow for simultaneous EGG measurements during MR image acquisitions. A low-pass filter was introduced to suppress residual radiofrequency (RF) coupling into the EGG signal. RF heating was tested in a gel phantom to ensure MR safety, and functionality of the EGG device was assessed in a volunteer experiment at singing frequencies from A5 to A3. In the recorded EGG signals, remaining RF interferences were removed by independent component analysis post processing, and standard EGG parameters such as fundamental frequency, contact quotient and jitter were calculated. In a second volunteer experiment, EGG recordings were compared with lung diameter measurements from 2D time-resolved trueFISP acquisitions. RESULTS RF heating measurements resulted in less than 1.2°C temperature increase in the gel phantom. EGG parameters measured during MR imaging are within the range of ideal values. In the lung measurement, both the lung diameter and the EGG recordings could be successfully performed with only minimal interference. CONCLUSION EGG recording is pos sible during dynamic lung MRI, and glottal activity can be studied safely at 1.5T. Magn Reson Med 76:1629-1635, 2016. © 2015 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Caglar Özen
- Department of Radiology-Medical Physics, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Louisa Traser
- Institute of Musicians Medicine, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Otolaryngology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Echternach
- Institute of Musicians Medicine, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tetiana Dadakova
- Department of Radiology-Medical Physics, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Burdumy
- Department of Radiology-Medical Physics, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Richter
- Institute of Musicians Medicine, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Bock
- Department of Radiology-Medical Physics, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany
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25
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Evaluating velopharyngeal closure with real-time MRI. Pediatr Radiol 2015; 45:941-2. [PMID: 25399057 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-014-3230-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/02/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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26
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Wylezinska M, Pinkstone M, Hay N, Scott AD, Birch MJ, Miquel ME. Impact of orthodontic appliances on the quality of craniofacial anatomical magnetic resonance imaging and real-time speech imaging. Eur J Orthod 2015; 37:610-7. [PMID: 25667040 DOI: 10.1093/ejo/cju103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of commonly used orthodontic appliances on the magnetic resonance (MR) image quality of the craniofacial region, with special interest in the soft palate and velopharyngeal wall using real-time speech imaging sequences and anatomical imaging of the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and pituitaries. METHODS Common orthodontic appliances were studied on 1.5 T scanner using standard spin and gradient echo sequences (based on the American Society for Testing and Materials standard test method) and sequences previously applied for high-resolution anatomical and dynamic real-time imaging during speech. Images were evaluated for the presence and size of artefacts. RESULTS Metallic orthodontic appliances had different effects on image quality. The most extensive individual effects were associated with the presence of stainless steel archwire, particularly if combined with stainless steel brackets and stainless steel molar bands. With those appliances, diagnostic quality of magnetic resonance imaging speech and palate images will be most likely severely degraded, or speech imaging and imaging of pituitaries and TMJ will be not possible. All non-metallic, non-metallic with Ni/Cr reinforcement or Ni/Ti alloys appliances were of little concern. LIMITATIONS The results in the study are only valid at 1.5 T and for the sequences and devices used and cannot necessarily be extrapolated to all sequences and devices. Furthermore, both geometry and size of some appliances are subject dependent, and consequently, the effects on the image quality can vary between subjects. Therefore, the results presented in this article should be treated as a guide when assessing the risks of image quality degradation rather than an absolute evaluation of possible artefacts. CONCLUSIONS Appliances manufactured from stainless steel cause extensive artefacts, which may render image non-diagnostic. The presence and type of orthodontic appliances should be always included in the patient's screening, so the risks of artefacts can be assessed prior to imaging. Although the risks to patients with fixed orthodontic appliances at 1.5 T MR scanners are low, their secure attachment should be confirmed prior to the examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzena Wylezinska
- *Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, **Barts and the London NIHR CVBRU, London Chest Hospital
| | - Marie Pinkstone
- ***Cleft Lip and Palate Team, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London
| | - Norman Hay
- ****Dental and Maxillofacial Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London
| | - Andrew D Scott
- *Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, *****NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, The Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
| | | | - Marc E Miquel
- *Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, **Barts and the London NIHR CVBRU, London Chest Hospital,
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Burdumy M, Traser L, Richter B, Echternach M, Korvink JG, Hennig J, Zaitsev M. Acceleration of MRI of the vocal tract provides additional insight into articulator modifications. J Magn Reson Imaging 2015; 42:925-35. [PMID: 25647755 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.24857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To accelerate dynamic imaging of the vocal tract during articulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Five subjects were imaged by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while repeating the word "Partikel" at 90 beats per minute, using both a radio-frequency-spoiled radial gradient echo sequence with golden angle projection rotation and a previously applied real-time Cartesian sequence. The acquired data were reconstructed using a CG-SENSE method and Cartesian reconstruction. The images from both methods were compared by measuring distances between anatomical landmarks that are important for resonance behavior of the vocal tract. Only commonly available hardware and software were used. RESULTS With the presented radial method a spatial resolution of 1.8 mm at 25 frames per second could be achieved. Overall, the morphometric measurements of the vocal tract showed less deviation for the radial sequence both across repetitions and for all subjects. Fast modifications, such as complete lip closing, could be analyzed with greater fidelity using the high temporal resolution of the radial sequence. CONCLUSION The results indicate that higher temporal resolution is a necessity to catch fast morphometric changes in the vocal tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Burdumy
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Musicians' Medicine, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Louisa Traser
- Institute of Musicians' Medicine, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Richter
- Institute of Musicians' Medicine, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Echternach
- Institute of Musicians' Medicine, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jan G Korvink
- IMTEK, University Freiburg, Lab of Simulation, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Hennig
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Maxim Zaitsev
- University Medical Center Freiburg, Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Freiburg, Germany
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Narayanan S, Toutios A, Ramanarayanan V, Lammert A, Kim J, Lee S, Nayak K, Kim YC, Zhu Y, Goldstein L, Byrd D, Bresch E, Ghosh P, Katsamanis A, Proctor M. Real-time magnetic resonance imaging and electromagnetic articulography database for speech production research (TC). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2014; 136:1307. [PMID: 25190403 PMCID: PMC4165284 DOI: 10.1121/1.4890284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
USC-TIMIT is an extensive database of multimodal speech production data, developed to complement existing resources available to the speech research community and with the intention of being continuously refined and augmented. The database currently includes real-time magnetic resonance imaging data from five male and five female speakers of American English. Electromagnetic articulography data have also been presently collected from four of these speakers. The two modalities were recorded in two independent sessions while the subjects produced the same 460 sentence corpus used previously in the MOCHA-TIMIT database. In both cases the audio signal was recorded and synchronized with the articulatory data. The database and companion software are freely available to the research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrikanth Narayanan
- Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089-2564
| | - Asterios Toutios
- Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089-2564
| | - Vikram Ramanarayanan
- Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089-2564
| | - Adam Lammert
- Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089-2564
| | - Jangwon Kim
- Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089-2564
| | - Sungbok Lee
- Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089-2564
| | - Krishna Nayak
- Magnetic Resonance Engineering Laboratory, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089-2564
| | - Yoon-Chul Kim
- Magnetic Resonance Engineering Laboratory, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089-2564
| | - Yinghua Zhu
- Magnetic Resonance Engineering Laboratory, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089-2564
| | - Louis Goldstein
- Department of Linguistics, University of Southern California, 3601 Watt Way, Los Angeles, California 90089-1693
| | - Dani Byrd
- Department of Linguistics, University of Southern California, 3601 Watt Way, Los Angeles, California 90089-1693
| | - Erik Bresch
- Philips Research, High Tech Campus 5, 5656 AE, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Prasanta Ghosh
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560012, India
| | - Athanasios Katsamanis
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytexneiou Street, Athens 15773, Greece
| | - Michael Proctor
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders and Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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29
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Scott AD, Wylezinska M, Birch MJ, Miquel ME. Speech MRI: morphology and function. Phys Med 2014; 30:604-18. [PMID: 24880679 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2014.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Revised: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) plays an increasing role in the study of speech. This article reviews the MRI literature of anatomical imaging, imaging for acoustic modelling and dynamic imaging. It describes existing imaging techniques attempting to meet the challenges of imaging the upper airway during speech and examines the remaining hurdles and future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Scott
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London EC1A 7BE, United Kingdom; NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, The Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, United Kingdom
| | - Marzena Wylezinska
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London EC1A 7BE, United Kingdom; Barts and The London NIHR CVBRU, London Chest Hospital, London E2 9JX, United Kingdom
| | - Malcolm J Birch
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London EC1A 7BE, United Kingdom
| | - Marc E Miquel
- Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London EC1A 7BE, United Kingdom; Barts and The London NIHR CVBRU, London Chest Hospital, London E2 9JX, United Kingdom.
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Evaluation of speech and morphological changes after maxillary advancement for patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency due to repaired cleft palate using a nasometer and lateral cephalogram. JOURNAL OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY MEDICINE AND PATHOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajoms.2013.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Scott AD, Boubertakh R, Birch MJ, Miquel ME. Adaptive averaging applied to dynamic imaging of the soft palate. Magn Reson Med 2012; 70:865-74. [PMID: 23023822 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.24503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2012] [Revised: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 08/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Achieving sufficient temporal and spatial resolution with adequate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in dynamic soft palate imaging is challenging. Triggered acquisitions require repeated reproducible speech samples, and while real-time imaging is more reliable, it may lack SNR. Adaptive averaging was implemented to improve SNR in nongated imaging during repetition of a speech task. Similar images were identified using localized cross-correlation before averaging. Adaptive averaging was applied to the soft palate region of images from six volunteers and one patient acquired with various sequences. In volunteers, soft palate SNR increased by 53 ± 17% with four averages. The additional SNR was used to enable reduced slice thickness in two example subjects. Adaptive averaging was also compared to pseudotriggered images in one example and, in another, it was applied to an unrepeated speech task. In a patient with a repaired cleft palate, the technique was used to demonstrate residual velopharyngeal insufficiency. This initial work demonstrates that increased temporal or spatial resolution may be traded for reduced SNR, which can be recovered using adaptive averaging. This will be a valuable tool in assessing velopharyngeal function, particularly in pediatric patients where cooperation may make gated studies difficult or when their head sizes require increased spatial resolution while maintaining temporal resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Scott
- Department of Clinical Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
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