1Clinical
Physics, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; 2NHLI
Cardiovascular BRU, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; 3Cleft
Lip and Palate Team, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London,
United Kingdom
Diagnosis of small timing errors in articulation during speech requires high temporal resolution techniques. Currently, 2D real-time MRI is too slow. We use a pencil beam and a novel turbo-spin-echo navigator to track velar motion during speech at 37 and 62 lines/s. The navigators were positioned through the velum and data was acquired with audio recording during speech. The 1D+t images created were compared to a navigator simulated from 2D real-time images and the pattern of palatal motion was similar. The additional temporal resolution of the turbo navigator will permit more precise measurement of the timing of velopharyngeal closure.