Table 1.
Descriptions of variables.
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Hard Palate Measures | |
| Palate width | Distance (mm) between the free lingual gingival margin of the first molar on each side as seen on the coronal image plane |
| Palate height | Height (mm) of the hard palate measured perpendicular to the palatal width line extending to the roof of the hard palate in the region of the palatal vault as seen on the coronal image plane |
| Palate length | Palate length (mm) measured as the distance between the anterior and posterior borders of the hard palate as seen on the sagittal image |
| Levator Measures | |
| Levator muscle length | Average of right and left levator muscle length measures (mm) from origin at cranial base to terminal end of the levator bundle as seen on the oblique coronal image plane |
| Extravelar levator muscle length | Average of right and left levator muscle fibers (mm) from origin at either side of the cranial base to insertion of levator muscle into either side of the velum as seen on the oblique coronal image plane |
| Intravelar levator muscle length | Length (mm) of the levator muscle within the velum as seen on the oblique coronal image plane |
| Velar insertion distance | Distance (mm) between points of levator insertion into the velum as seen on the oblique coronal image plane |
| Origin to origin | Distance (mm) between the right levator muscle origin at the cranial base and left levator muscle origin on the other side as seen on the oblique coronal image plane |
| Angle of levator muscle origin | Average of right and left angles (degrees) between origin to origin width and course of muscle fibers at cranial base as seen on the oblique coronal image plane |
| Velopharyngeal Portal Measures | |
| Effective velar length | Functional portion of the velum measured as the distance (mm) between the posterior border of the hard palate and point of levator muscle insertion into the velum as seen on the sagittal image plane |
| Velar length | Curvilinear length (mm) of the velum extending from the posterior border of the hard palate through the middle of the velum to the inferior tip of the uvula from the sagittal image plane |
| Velar thickness | Distance (mm) between oral surface of velum and velar knee at the estimated location of the velar knee (region of greatest velar thickness) and velar dimple (oral location) as seen on the midsagittal image plane |
| Pharyngeal depth | Distance (mm) from the posterior border of the hard palate to the posterior pharyngeal wall along the hard palate plane as seen on the sagittal image plane |
| Velopharyngeal ratio | (velar length) / (pharyngeal depth) |