Glottographic measurement of vocal dysfunction. A preliminary report.

Objective measurement of vocal function is important in evaluating phonatory disorders, planning treatment, and documenting the effects of therapy. Glottographic measurement, ie, measures that describe glottal movement, can be performed and analyzed relatively easily, and can be related to the pathophysiology of vocal dysfunction. In our clinic, simultaneous recording of acoustic, photoglottographic and electroglottographic signals is being used in the evaluation of patients with voice disorders associated with neurologic impairments. Our experience with these measures indicates that they may provide detailed information about the vibratory patterns of the vocal folds, which appears to differentiate some phonatory characteristics among patients with differing types of disorders.