Velopharyngeal Dysfunction: What a Radiologist Must Know

Velopharyngeal dysfunction is caused by many unrelated etiologies and results in the inadequate closure of the muscular ring that separates the nasopharynx from the rest of the airway during speech and deglutition. Clinical management of velopharyngeal dysfunction is multidisciplinary and challenging. Among the available imaging modalities, cine MR imaging plays a crucial role in evaluation. Comprehensive radiology literature on this subject is sparse. In this article, we illustrate the radiologic anatomy of the velopharyngeal sphincter, provide a clinical background of velopharyngeal dysfunction, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the available imaging techniques, and reflect on nonsurgical and surgical management.

Learning Objectives: 1) To understand the MR imaging anatomy of the velopharyngeal sphincter and the complementary role of real-time cine MR imaging to the clinical and endoscopic evaluation of velopharyngeal dysfunction. 2) To become familiar with protocols and techniques of real-time cine MR imaging for evaluating velopharyngeal dysfunction.