Using an intraluminal ultrasonic system, a radial scan-type catheter of 20 MHz was directly inserted into the intralaryngeal lumen to experimentally obtain a horizontal image of vocal fold. Collagen was injected into vocal fold unilaterally, and this was compared with the normal side. A histological specimen was also prepared and compared with thehorizontalsection image.
On the image of the vocal fold, the lamina propria and epithelium were notedin a line, and the injected collagen was identified as a hyperechoic area. The vocalis muscle showed hypoechoic image.
These results suggest that intralaryngeal ultrasonography can be useful in clinical application for detecting tumor involvement in the vocal folds and as a guide during injection therapy.
