title: Sonographic imaging of the trachea.
abstract: We evaluated the feasibility of ultrasonography for imaging of the trachea and its effectiveness in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with tracheal stenosis due to various diseases. Twenty normal volunteers and six adult patients with tracheal stenosis were included in the study group. Subjects were examined with ultrasonography in a supine position with the neck hyperextended or in a sitting position. At the level of the thyroid isthmus, the anterior tracheal wall thicknesses imaged by ultrasonography were 1.54 +/- 0.22 mm (mean +/- SD) and 1.22 +/- 0.18 mm for normal male and female volunteers, respectively. Ultrasonography could reveal the intrinsic tracheal wall lesions and extrinsic lesions compressing the trachea in patients with tracheal stenosis. These ultrasonographic images correlated with CT images. In conclusion, ultrasonography may be useful in imaging of the trachea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Republic of China.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014132:Trachea / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids