title: Nasal airway volumetric measurement using segmented HRCT images and acoustic rhinometry.
abstract: Semiautomatic segmentation methods using High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging give accurate and reproducible volumetric measurements in various intracranial diseases. In this prospective study, for the first time in literature, with the help of a new semiautomatic segmentation technique and coronal HRCT, we correlated the volumes and cross-sectional areas of the nasal cavity with those obtained by clinical acoustic rhinometry in 14 patients with chronic sinusitis. The measurements obtained by both techniques showed statistically significant correlations between volumes in the anterior and middle parts, but statistically poor correlations between the volumes in the posterior part of the nasal cavity. Coronal HRCT and our new microcomputer applicable semiautomatic segmentation software proved compatible with daily clinical practice. Based on the promising results of our study, we recommend the use of this technique in the validation studies of acoustic rhinometry and in complicated cases as a complementary examination in the evaluation of nasal cavity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tampere University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dastidar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Numminen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ryymin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rautiainen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laasonen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prasun
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pertti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Markus
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Erkki
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000473:pathology; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*