Toshiyuki Yamamoto, Haruhi Inoguchi, Yuko Sano, Akihiko Kandori and Miho Murata
Objective: To evaluate a magnetic swallowing monitoring device to monitor swallowing in patients with Parkinson’s disease and to compare these findings with those of videofluoroscopic examination of swallowing (VF). Methods: Twenty-one patients with Parkinson’s disease and 11 healthy controls were included in this study. The subjects were examined by VF using 10 ml of liquid barium, with the magnetic swallowing monitoring device attached to the patient’s neck. We compared the results obtained from the magnetic swallowing monitoring device with those of VF. Results: Eight patients and all controls showed normal swallowing on VF. According to the magnetic swallowing monitoring device, patients without dysphagia had similar waveforms to those of healthy controls. It also revealed the following swallowing-related abnormalities in 13 patients: piecemeal deglutition, delayed swallowing onset, delayed relaxation of the cricopharyngeal muscle, hesitation to swallow, and aspiration. Conclusions: Patients with Parkinson’s disease often showed abnormalities in the sequence of movements during the swallowing reflex. The magnetic swallowing monitoring device could detect these abnormalities simply and non-invasively.