Aim: The aim of the present study is to examine the voice to its acoustic source - the vocal folds - with a miniature hearing-aid microphone coupled to the extremity of a laryngo-fiberscope allowing the voice to be captured during direct laryngoscopy. Study design: Experimental. Material and Method: The voice of 50 individuals - 25 males and 25 females bearing no pathologies - was collected by the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP) by Kay Elemetrics’ Computerized Speech Lab 4300B Model. Samples of the sustained vowels /a/, /i/ and /u/ were picked up in three distinct ways. Firstly, by a common external microphone placed at 15 cm from the mouth. Secondly, a special microphone was placed on the pharynx 1.5 cm above the vocal folds. Lastly, the same special microphone was placed externally at 2 cm from the mouth. Twelve acoustic parameters regarding fundamental frequency, amplitude and noise of each and every vowel were compared statistically as to the way the voice was picked up. Results: Results show statistically significant differences between the voice picked up by the common external microphone and by the special one as regards to the fundamental frequency, frequency and amplitude variability and noise. Conclusion: The difference between the sound coming from the glottic source and the sound from the external voice shows alterations experienced by the voice during its passage through the vocal tract.
voice disorders; voice quality; laryngoscopy; acoustic analysis; glottis
