Funding for this study was provided by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation, through a Research Grant for New Investigators. The authors have no other funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
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Head and Neck
Position of the hyoid and larynx in people with muscle tension dysphonia†
Article first published online: 17 JAN 2012
DOI: 10.1002/lary.22482
Copyright © 2011 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.
Additional Information
How to Cite
Lowell, S. Y., Kelley, R. T., Colton, R. H., Smith, P. B. and Portnoy, J. E. (2012), Position of the hyoid and larynx in people with muscle tension dysphonia. The Laryngoscope, 122: 370–377. doi: 10.1002/lary.22482
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Publication History
- Issue published online: 23 JAN 2012
- Article first published online: 17 JAN 2012
- Accepted manuscript online: 26 NOV 2011 12:05AM EST
- Manuscript Accepted: 4 NOV 2011
- Manuscript Revised: 21 OCT 2011
- Manuscript Received: 23 AUG 2011
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- Muscle tension dysphonia;
- cephalogram;
- hyoid;
- larynx;
- hyolaryngeal;
- dysphonia;
- voice;
- Level of Evidence: 2b
Abstract
Objectives/Hypothesis:
To determine whether radiographic measures of hyoid position, laryngeal position, and hyolaryngeal space during phonation were different for people with primary muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) as compared to control participants without voice disorders.
Study Design:
Prospective, quasi-experimental research design.
Methods:
Twenty participants, 10 with primary MTD and 10 without voice disorders who were age and sex matched were studied radiographically while producing phonation. Lateral x-ray images were obtained for each participant during three tasks: resting state, sustained phonation, and a swallow-hold maneuver. Vertical positions of the hyoid and larynx were measured on a Cartesian coordinate system and were normalized to reflect change from rest during phonation.
Results:
Normalized, vertical hyoid, and laryngeal positions during phonation were significantly higher for people with MTD than for control participants. Normalized hyolaryngeal space during phonation did not show differences between groups. A low to moderate significant correlation for radiographically measured hyoid and laryngeal position and the total score from a subjective laryngeal palpatory scale were evidenced, but no relationship was evidenced for radiographic laryngeal position and the laryngeal position subscore of the palpatory examination.
Conclusions:
Objective determinants of physiology are critical for the differential diagnosis of MTD and its effective treatment. Radiographic findings from this study indicate that hyoid and laryngeal positions during phonation are higher in people with primary MTD as compared to people without voice disorders.