Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Levator Veli Palatini Muscle in Speakers With Repaired Cleft Palate

The results showed that the configurations of the LVP muscle were various among subjects with cleft palate and different from those of normal velopharyngeal anatomy. The distance, length, and thickness of the levator muscle were smaller than those of normal subjects. Angles of origin of the muscle were variable among speakers with cleft palate. Also, the results showed systematic changes of the LVP muscle configuration in terms of vowel and consonant types. Levator muscle angle of origin and length became progressively smaller from rest, nasal consonants, low vowels, high vowels, and fricatives. The speakers with cleft palate showed longer temporal characteristics of nasalization than normal speakers. This study contributes to a better understanding of cleft palate anatomy and should eventually play an essential role in providing better clinical treatment to speakers with cleft palate.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Speech and Hearing Science

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Ha, Seunghee

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kuehn, David P.

• Health Sciences, Speech Pathology

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3242857

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/85216