Penetration aspiration is perceived to be greater (more severe) from FEES than videofluoroscopy images. The clinical implications are discussed.

These guidelines provide benchmarks for the performance of urodynamic equipment, and have been developed by the International Continence Society to assist purchasing decisions, design requirements, and performance checks. The guidelines suggest ranges of specification for uroflowmetry, volume, pressure, and EMG measurement, along with recommendations for user interfaces and performance tests. Factors affecting measurement relating to the different technologies used are also described. Summary tables of essential and desirable features are included for ease of reference. It is emphasized that these guidelines can only contribute to good urodynamics if equipment is used properly, in accordance with good practice.

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Pharyngeal residue was consistently perceived to be greater from FEES than from videofluoroscopy. These findings have significant clinical implications as FEES and videofluoroscopy findings are used to judge aspiration risk and to make recommendations for oral intake. Further research is required to examine the impact of FEES and videofluoroscopy examinations on treatment decisions.

This pooled analysis suggests that there is a clear advantage in using vascularized tissue from outside the radiation field in the laryngectomy defect. While some studies show a clear reduction in PCF rates, others suggest that the fistulae that occur are smaller and rarely need repair.

Pulse transit time (PTT) is a simple, non-invasive measurement, defined as the time taken from a reference time for the pulse pressure wave to travel to the periphery. PTT is influenced by heart rate, blood pressure changes and the compliance of the arteries, but few quantitative data are available describing the factors which influence PTT. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the cardiac beat-to-beat interval (RR) and PTT, using paced respiration to generate changes in both variables. We analysed PTT and RR interval from 15 normal healthy subjects during paced breathing, and the cross-correlation function between PTT and RR was used to quantify their relationship. Over the 15 subjects, the maximum change in PTT ranged from 7 to 23 ms with a mean +/- standard deviation of 14 +/- 5 ms, and that in RR interval from 86 to 443 ms (241 +/- 102 ms). Examining changes over time, the best correlation (r = +0.69, p < 0.01) was obtained when PTT was advanced relative to RR, with a change in RR followed by a corresponding change in PTT 3.17 +/- 0.76 beats later. We conclude that there is a strong relationship between PTT changes and RR interval changes, but these changes are not in phase.

Narrow band imaging (NBI) is reported to improve the diagnostic accuracy of head and neck cancers. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of NBI in the literature. A systematic review was performed in PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and the Cochrane Library until March 2015. Two reviewers independently assessed articles and extracted data. Meta-analyses were performed in MetaDisc 1.6. Five hundred seventeen studies were identified and 17 were included in this study. Combined use of NBI and white light imaging (WLI) showed high diagnostic accuracies for primary, recurrent, and nasopharyngeal lesions. Methodological heterogeneity exists and meta-analyses were only appropriate for cancers of unknown primary (CUP) in which NBI performed on 115 patients across 4 studies demonstrated high sensitivity (74.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 52.5% to 100%) and specificity (94.1%; 95% CI = 23.7% to 100%). NBI may further help identify lesions in CUP not seen by positron emission tomography (PET)-CT. NBI offers a high level of diagnostic accuracy for head and neck cancers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E2358-E2367, 2016.

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