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Acoustic voice analysis in different phonetic contexts after larynx radiotherapy for T1 vocal cord carcinoma

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Abstract

Introduction

Radiotherapy for early vocal cord carcinoma affects quality of voice. Nevertheless, most patients refer to having a high satisfaction level with their voice. The few acoustic studies on quality of voice have been performed only in prolonged vowel production, which is not a usual speech situation. The present study has been done with the aim of establishing which phonetic situations reflect a greater alteration in voice production related to irradiation.

Material and methods

Eighteen male patients irradiated for Tis-T1 vocal cord carcinoma and a control group of 31 non-irradiated subjects were included in a study of acoustic voice analysis. This analysis was performed one year after radiotherapy. Patients and control group voices were tape recorded in extended vowel production, oral reading of a standard paragraph, spontaneous speech and in a song. Acoustic analysis was performed by a Kay Elemetric’s Computerized Speech Lab (model CSL #4300). Fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer and harmonics-to-noise ratio were obtained in both groups. Statistical test: Lin concordance coefficient and Pearson’s correlation coefficient, Student’s t-test and ROC curves.

Results

Concordance and correlation studies did not allow selection of any subgroup in acoustic parameters and different acoustic situations. Acoustic parameters had higher median values in irradiated patients. Student’s t-test showed significant differences for fundamental frequency in sustained vowel production and spontaneous speech; for jitter there was statistical significance in all the acoustic situations and for shimmer in oral reading and song. Jitter showed a cut-off of 2.02% with a sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 97% in classifying irradiated and non-irradiated groups. The ROC curve for jitter correctly classified 94% of subjects into irradiated or non-irradiated groups.

Conclusions

The present study showed that jitter obtained from spontaneous speech was the most relevant parameter in discriminating voice in irradiated patients by acoustic analysis. Jitter in spontaneous speech is in need of more analysis in bigger series and in more advanced stages of larynx cancer as its relevance has been demonstrated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiation Oncology Department Hospital Clínic i Universitari, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, C/Villarroel, 170, ES-08036, Barcelona, Spain

    Ángeles Rovirosa & Albert Biete

  2. Biostatistics Unit, Medicine Faculty, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, C/Villarroel, 170, ES-08036, Barcelona, Spain

    Carlos Ascaso

  3. Biostatistics Unit, Fundació Clínic, Hospital Clínic i Universitari, C/Villarroel, 170, ES-08036, Barcelona, Spain

    Rosa Abellana

  4. Phonetics Laboratory, Faculty of Arts, University of Barcelona, Gran via de les Corts Catalanes 585, ES-08007, Barcelona, Spain

    Eugenio Martínez-Celdrán & Alicia Ortega

  5. Phoniatric and Logopedic Department, Traumatologia i Reabilitació, Hospital Vall d’Hebrón, Passeig Vall d’Hebron, s/n, ES-08035, Barcelona, Spain

    Mercedes Velasco & Teresa Herrero

  6. Ear, Nose and Throat Department, University of Barcelona, C/Villarroel, 170, ES-08036, Barcelona, Spain

    Montserrat Bonet

  7. Radiation Oncology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Reus, Tarragona, Spain

    Meritxell Arenas

Authors
  1. Ángeles Rovirosa
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  2. Carlos Ascaso
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  3. Rosa Abellana
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  4. Eugenio Martínez-Celdrán
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  5. Alicia Ortega
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  6. Mercedes Velasco
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  7. Montserrat Bonet
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  8. Teresa Herrero
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  9. Meritxell Arenas
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  10. Albert Biete
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Correspondence to Ángeles Rovirosa.

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Rovirosa, Á., Ascaso, C., Abellana, R. et al. Acoustic voice analysis in different phonetic contexts after larynx radiotherapy for T1 vocal cord carcinoma. Clin Transl Oncol 10, 168–174 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-008-0175-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-008-0175-z

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