Table 1.
Swallowing events revealed by real-time MRI and videofluoroscopy.
| Deglutition events | Real-time MRI | Videofluoroscopy [3] |
|---|---|---|
| Valve function | ||
| Oro-velar opening (OOT*, reference) | Full rise of soft palate from dorsum | Not defined |
| Velar-pharyngeal closure (VCT) | Contact of soft palate and pharyngeal wall | Velopharyngeal sphincter (valve 3) |
| Glottal closure (GCT) | Closure of glottis and supraglottis | Larynx: vocal folds (valve 4c) |
| Epiglottic retroflexion (ERT) | Contact of epiglottis and supraglottis | Larynx: epiglottis and arytenoid to base of epiglottis (valve 4a/b) |
| Esophageal opening (EOT) | Separation of postcricoid and pharyngeal wall | Cricopharyngeal sphincter (valve 6) |
| Bolus transport | ||
| Oro-velar transit (OTT) | Oral transit | |
| s: OOTs | s: initiation of tongue movement | |
| e: OOTe | e: bolus head reaches the cross of mandible and tongue base | |
| Pharyngeal delay (PDT) | s: OTTs (OOTs) | s: bolus head reaches cross of mandible and tongue base |
| e: PTTs | e: start of laryngeal ascent | |
| Pharyngeal transit (PTT) | s: bolus head passes oro-velar valve | s: start of laryngeal ascent |
| e: bolus tail passes esophageal sphincter | e: bolus tail passes cricopharyngeal region | |
| Other | ||
| Laryngeal ascent (LAT) | Ascendance of larynx | Upward and forward movement of hyoid and larynx |
| Laryngeal descent (LDT) | Descendance of larynx | Not defined |
| Vallecula and piriform sinus filling (SFT) | Bolus filling vallecula and piriform sinus | Not observed |
| Pharyngeal constriction (PCT) | Progressive contraction of pharyngeal constrictor | Tongue base and pharyngeal wall (valve 5). Not observed [3] |