High-speed imaging and image processing in voice disorders

A digital high-speed camera system for the endoscopic examination of the larynx delivers recording speeds of up to 10,000 frames/s. Recordings of up to 1 s duration can be stored and used for further evaluation. Maximum resolution is 128 multiplied by 128 pixel. The acoustic and electroglottographic signals are recorded simultaneously. An image processing program especially developed for this purpose renders time-way-waveforms (high-speed glottograms) of several locations on the vocal cords. From the graphs all of the known objective parameters of the voice can be derived. Results of examinations in normal subjects and patients are presented.