Fifteen patients with pharyngeal stage dysphagia were studied clinically and by motion fluoroscopy. Eleven patients demonstrated laryngeal penetration during swallowing. There was high incidence of impaired pharyngeal gag and wet-hoarse voice quality among this group. Other observations were found to correlate poorly with penetration. Cough was an unreliable indicator of laryngeal penetration. Penetration was most likely when liquids were swallowed and least likely when semisolids were swallowed. Motion fluoroscopy of swallowing was necessary for detecting penetration reliably, identifying that dysphagia depends, in part, on bolus qualities, and planning a feeding approach consistent with remaining swallowing functions.