Evaluation of Velopharyngeal Closure Ratio (VCR) by a New Semi-automatic Detection Method Based on Nasopharyngoscopy With Image Processing Method

Evaluation of Velopharyngeal Closure Ratio (VCR) by a New Semi-automatic Detection Method Based on Nasopharyngoscopy With Image Processing Method:



The goal of this study is to develop and validate a novel semi-automatic detection method (SADM) under nasopharyngoscopy based on the image processing technique, which can assist the evaluation of the velar closure ratio (VCR). After the development of the SADM, 72 patients were enrolled. The reliability of SADM was evaluated by repeated measurements. Velar closure ratio are given by conventional nasopharyngoscopy method and SADM were compared. Velar closure ratios given by SADM were further translated into a trichotomous classification for velopharyngeal function diagnosis, that is, velopharyngeal closure (VPC), marginal VPC (MVPC), and velopharyngeal incomplete. The 2 VCR-thresholds used for the translation were explored and validated. As results shown, SADM was proved to be reliable with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.996 (95% confidence interval: 0.993–0.997, P  0.1). In conclusion, this study successfully developed an accurate and reliable semi-automatic method to evaluate VCR, which could help improve the efficacy of VCR evaluation and velopharyngeal function diagnosis.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Heng Yin, MS, Department of Cleft Lip and Palate, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; E-mail: yinheng@scu.edu.cn

Received 16 August, 2019

Accepted 24 August, 2020

The study was approved by the ethics review board of West China Hospital of Stomatology, Chengdu, China (reference number WCHS-IRB-D-2018-104).

This study was supported by the National Science Foundation for Young Scientists of China (Grant No. 61503264).

Bochun Mao, Heng Yin, and Ling He have one Chinese patent pending and one international patent pending related to the semi-automatic detection method. The other authors report no conflicts of interest.

Evaluation of velar closure ratio (VCR) by a new semi-automatic detection method based on Nasopharyngoscopy with image processing method.

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© 2020 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.