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Testing Offered at the Voice Center

At NYU Langone’s Voice Center, we provide the specialized testing required to accurately diagnose the cause of your voice, swallowing, or breathing-related condition.

Testing for Voice Disorders

At the Voice Center, we provide an individualized treatment plan based on the results of our advanced diagnostic testing for voice problems.

Stroboscopy

Stroboscopy is a way to examine the vibratory nature of the vocal cords. The technique uses a strobe light that is linked to the frequency of the patient's voice. When a person utters a tone, the light flashes at a frequency that is close to that of the person’s voice.

The result is a set of images that mimic the vibration of the vocal cords. Doctors use this information to diagnose and evaluate the vocal cords for the presence of cancer, scar tissue, or stiffness, as well as muscle tone.

Voice Analysis

Hoarseness is often a complicated complaint to evaluate because vocal changes can be very subtle. We use a series of tests to analyze your voice and help determine what is wrong. Typically, the evaluation involves a voice recording, which is then run through a series of computer programs that analyze the data. This analysis provides information on your vocal quality and ability and helps us determine the best way to help you get better.

Testing for Swallowing Disorders

Our team may use one of several methods to examine and evaluate your swallowing problem during a visit to the Voice Center, including the following:

  • barium swallow study and videofluoroscopic swallow study, during which an X-ray is taken of the mouth, neck, and chest to evaluate abnormalities in the swallowing mechanism or digestive tract
  • flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, which uses a flexible fiberoptic endoscope in the throat to visualize the actual swallow in progress
  • transnasal esophagoscopy, which is the insertion of an endoscope through the nose to the stomach

If additional testing is needed, we partner with experts at Tisch Hospital to perform the following:

  • pH testing, which is designed to evaluate patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and laryngopharyngeal reflux disease by monitoring acid exposure within the esophagus and voice box
  • esophageal manometry, which is the placement of a thin catheter into the esophagus to measure movement and pressures as a person swallows

For more information about these treatment options, please call 646-754-1207 or email voicecenter@nyulangone.org.