title: Influence of the turbinate volumes as measured by magnetic resonance imaging on nasal air conditioning.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Changes in nasal airflow caused by varying intranasal volumes and cross-sectional areas affect the contact between air and surrounding mucosa entailing alterations in nasal air conditioning. This study evaluates the correlation between nasal air conditioning and the volumes of the inferior and middle turbinates as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen healthy volunteers were enrolled. Each volunteer had been examined by rhinomanometry, acoustic rhinometry, intranasal air temperature, and humidity measurements at defined intranasal sites as well as MRI of the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses. The volumetric data of the turbinates was based on the volumetric software Amira.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparable results were obtained regarding absolute humidity values and temperature values within the nasal valve area and middle turbinate area for both the right and the left side of the nasal cavity. No statistically significant differences were found in the rhinomanometric values and the acoustic rhinometry results of both sides (p > 0.05). No statistical correlations were found between the volumes of the inferior (mean, 6.1 cm3) and middle turbinate (mean, 1.8 cm3) and the corresponding humidity and temperature values. Additionally, the air temperature and humidity values did not correlate with the rhinometrical endonasal volumes (0-20 mm and 20-50 mm from the nasal entrance).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The normal range of volumes of the inferior and middle turbinate does not seem to have a significant impact on intranasal air conditioning in healthy subjects. The exact limits where alterations of the turbinate volume negatively affect nasal air conditioning are still unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. joerg.lindemann@uniklinik-ulm.de
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindemann
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsakiropoulou
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vital
authors.forename: Tilman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keck
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leiacker
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pauls
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wacke
authors.forename: Kerstin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Wiesmiller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000502:physiology*; D013696:Temperature; D014420:Turbinates / Q000033:anatomy & histology*