To investigate the value of stroboscopy and narrow band imaging (NBI)endoscopy in the diagnosis of vocal cord leukoplakia.

Two hundred and forty-six patients with vocal cord leukoplakia who underwent laryngeal microsurgery and diagnosed by histopathology were recruited between August 2014 and July 2016 in this retrospective study. The diagnostic accuracy of stroboscopy and narrow band imaging endoscopy in the diagnosis of vocal cord leukoplakia was compared. SPSS21.0 software was used to analyze the data.

A significantly positive correlation was found between the decrease grade of mucosal wave and the histopathological diagnosis(Spearman r=0.526, P<0.01). A significantly positive correlation was found between the lesion classified by detailed morphologic findings of epithelial microvessel and the histopathological diagnosis(Spearman r=0.480, P<0.01). The sensitivity of stroboscopy for detecting severe dysplasia, carcinoma and invasive carcinoma was 92.73%, higher than NBI endoscopy. The specificity of NBI endoscopy was 90.55%, higher than stroboscopy. The results of logistic regression analysis showed: the positive pathological type risk in the group with mucosal waves severely reduced and absent was 3.906 and 19.737 times higher than the group with mucosal waves slightly reduced. In the group with mucosal waves severely reduced and absent, significant difference was observed when combined use of NBI endoscopy(P<0.001, P=0.047).

In the diagnosis of vocal cord leukoplakia, stroboscopy is useful for detecting severe dysplasia, carcinoma and invasive carcinoma with high sensitivity. In the group with mucosal waves severely reduced and absent, combined use of NBI endoscopy was able to improve the diagnostic accuracy.

Vocal Cord; Leukoplakia; Stroboscopy; Narrow band imaging