Nasometric Measurement and the Classification of Resonance Disorders: Equipment Evaluation and a Tentative Classification System

Resonance disorders due to cleft palate and other aetiologies are frequently assessed in conjunction with nasometry. The most commonly used instrument is the Nasometer by KayPentax. A new model Nasometer 6450 was compared to an older model 6200 using both synthetic and speech stimuli. There was a particular focus on test-retest variability of the instrument. The Nasometers were found to yield comparable results. The inter session test-retest variability ranged from six to eight points, depending on the stimulus. The Nasometer 6450 was then used to collect nasalance scores of simulated resonance disorders. A discriminant analysis was applied to these scores. The resultant formulas were moderately successful in predicting perceived resonance when applied to pre-existing data sets.MAS