Upper airway motion depicted at cine MR imaging performed during sleep: comparison between young Patients with and those without obstructive sleep apnea.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the patterns of dynamic airway motion depicted on cine magnetic resonance (MR) images obtained during sleep between young patients with and those without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).


METHODS
Fast gradient-echo sequences were performed in the sagittal midline by using a 1.5-T unit to create cine MR images. Cine MR images obtained during sleep in 16 young patients with OSA were compared with those obtained in 16 young patients with no airway symptoms of airway disease. The nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx were characterized in terms of airway motion as static patent (SP), dynamic patent, intermittent collapsed (IC), or static collapsed (SC); and the maximal diameter and greatest change in diameter (in millimeters) of these airways were calculated. Adenoid tonsil size and mouth position (ie, opened or closed) were determined. Differences in the frequency of MR imaging parameters in the different anatomic regions were evaluated by using Fisher exact, chi 2, and sample t tests.


RESULTS
There were statistically significant differences in the following parameters between the two groups: nasopharynx SP (P <.001) and IC (P <.001); hypopharynx SP (P <.001) and IC (P <.001); and mean change in airway diameter of the nasopharynx (P <.001) and hypopharynx (P <.001). The mean adenoid tonsil size in the patients with OSA was larger (P =.006).


CONCLUSIONS
There are significant differences in the patterns of dynamic airway motion between young patients with and those without OSA.
Donnelly
Lane F
LF
Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA. lane.donnelly@cchmc.org
Surdulescu
Victoria
V
Chini
Barbara A
BA
Casper
Keith A
KA
Poe
Stacy A
SA
Amin
Raouf S
RS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007013:Hypopharynx / Q000473:pathology*; D007223:Infant; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000473:pathology*; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000473:pathology*; D012890:Sleep; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000473:pathology*