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  5. Quantifying Pharyngeal Residue during Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS/MBS): Validation of Percentage-Based Visual-Perceptual Residue Ratings

Quantifying Pharyngeal Residue during Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS/MBS): Validation of Percentage-Based Visual-Perceptual Residue Ratings

File(s)
40795820.pdf (1.95 MB)
No Access Until
2026-08-12
Permanent Link(s)
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/118318
Collections
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Author
Curtis, J.
Mocchetti, V.
Jagdhar, B.
Rameau, A.
Clark, C.M.
Grasso, M.
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Computerized, percentage-based assessments of pharyngeal residue (e.g., % filling of the valleculae) during videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) offer a high level of precision, validity, and reliability compared to more frequently used visual-perceptual, categorical-based rating methods (e.g., mild, moderate, severe). Despite these advantages, clinical practice largely relies on visual-perceptual methods, given their ease, speed, and lack of need for specialized software or training. Percentage-based, visual-perceptual residue ratings could represent a scalable and clinically feasible alternative to computerized techniques; however, their accuracy and reliability have not been systematically investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to: (1) evaluate the accuracy of visual-perceptual, percentage-based ratings of pharyngeal residue during VFSS compared to pixel-based ground-truth measurements; (2) characterize the inter- and intra-rater reliability of these ratings; and (3) explore whether clinician characteristics are associated with rating accuracy. METHODS: An anonymous international survey was distributed to speech-language pathologists (SLP). Respondents were asked to provide visual-perceptual ratings of pharyngeal residue for 40 pairs of unique fluoroscopic images. Digital tracings were superimposed onto each image to guide percentage-based ratings. SLP respondents provided two types of residue ratings: Bolus Clearance Ratio (BCR; n = 20) and Residue Ratio Scale for the Valleculae (RRSV; n = 20). 50% of the images were randomly repeated to assess intra-rater reliability. Ratings were compared to ground-truth values. Statistical analyses were used to characterize rater accuracy and reliability. RESULTS: 129 SLP respondents participated in the survey, yielding an analysis of 6,569 visual-perceptual, percentage-based residue ratings. Residue ratings showed moderate agreement with ground-truth values for both BCR (ρc = 0.92) and RRSV (ρc = 0.94). Group-level inter-rater reliability was good-to-excellent for BCR (ICC = 0.90) and excellent for RRSV (ICC = 0.93). Intra-rater reliability was also excellent (BCR ICC = 0.92; RRSV ICC = 0.97). Greater accuracy was associated with clinicians with fewer years of clinical experience (r = 0.35, p = .006), clinicians who used of frame-by-frame VFSS review more frequently (τ = .228, p = .002), and clinicians who used standardized residue rating tools such as DIGEST and MBSImP more frequently. CONCLUSION: Visual-perceptual, percentage-based residue ratings during VFSS demonstrate acceptable accuracy and high inter- and intra-rater reliability. Clinician experience and practice patterns influence rating accuracy. These findings support the potential clinical utility of percentage-based visual-perceptual methods as a valid and accessible alternative to traditional ordinal residue scales.

Journal / Series
Folia phoniatrica et logopaedica : official organ of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP)
Date Issued
2025-08-12
Publisher
Karger Publishers
Keywords
WCM Library Coordinated Deposit
•
Bolus Clearance Ratio
•
Dysphagia
•
Pharyngeal residue
•
Videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS)
•
Visual-perceptual percentage-based residue rating
Related DOI
https://doi.org/10.1159/000547346
Previously Published as
Curtis J, Mocchetti V, Jagdhar B, Rameau A, Clark CM, Grasso M. Quantifying Pharyngeal Residue during Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS/MBS): Validation of Percentage-Based Visual-Perceptual Residue Ratings. Folia phoniatrica et logopaedica : official organ of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP). 2025;():1-12. doi: 10.1159/000547346. PMID: 40795820.
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
Rights URI
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Type
article

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