There are several procedures the doctor can use to examine the throat and larynx.

• Flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy or laryngeal endoscopy is a diagnostic examination to view the throat and its surrounding structures. This procedure can be carried out during a regular office visit and the results can be viewed on a video monitor and discussed with the doctor immediately.
• Rigid laryngoscopy is similar to the flexible laryngoscopy, but it is performed through the mouth using a rigid scope providing visual access to the vocal cords in order to diagnose and treat conditions such as hoarseness, weak voice, polyps, difficulty swallowing or laryngeal cancer.

Digital laryngeal stroboscopy utilizes a state-of-the-art laryngeal strobe, digital camera and computer processor to obtain slow motion, high resolution images of vocal fold vibration. The procedure is carried out with an endoscope and allows evaluation of subtle or complex conditions that may affect vocal cord vibration and cause changes to the voice. This procedure may also be used to compare the appearance and movement of the vocal cords before and after treatment for any detected problems.