Ultrasonic Recording of the Vibrating Vocal Folds: A Preliminary Report

The ultrasonic echo method has been used to study the vibratory movements of the vocal folds. A special transducer developed for this purpose was used together with commercial ultrasonic equipment designed for heart diagnosis. Well-defined curves of the movement of the vocal folds have been recorded, which confirm the results obtained by other methods. The advantages of the ultrasonic method over other methods are: (a) continuous recording of vibrating vocal folds, (b) no interference with the articulatory movements of the tongue and the mandible, (c) no discomfort to the patient, and simplicity of application. The method can be expected to improve appreciably in definition and resolution if specially designed ultrasonic equipment is used.