Proposal for staging airway hemangiomas.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a method of airway infantile hemangioma staging using standardized assessment of airway narrowing, and hemangioma location and volume, as determined with endoscopy and CT angiography.


METHODS
Case series with chart review.


METHODS
Tertiary pediatric hospital, 2003-2008.


METHODS
Subjects included airway hemangioma patients evaluated at a tertiary pediatric hospital. Data collected were age at first symptoms, diagnostic evaluation, percent airway compromise, and estimated hemangioma volume. Data were analyzed with descriptive and Fisher exact statistics.


RESULTS
Twelve patients were identified and seven had complete data sets. Mean age at first symptoms was 1.9 months (SD 1.09 months, range 0.5-4 months). Evaluation consisted of nasopharyngoscopy, microlaryngoscopy, CT angiography, and/or MRI. Mean laryngeal airway narrowing was estimated at 63.75 percent (SD 19.0%, range 40%-90%). Total hemangioma volume was less in patients with isolated (focal) endolaryngeal hemangiomas compared with airway hemangiomas associated with extralaryngeal (segmental) hemangiomas. Airway hemangioma stages were stage one (5 of 12; 41.6%), stage two (6 of 12; 50.0%), and stage three (1 of 12; 8.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
This method of airway hemangioma staging may be applicable to treatment planning and used to measure treatment outcomes.
Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA 98105-0371, USA. jonathan.perkins@seattlechildrens.org
Jonathan A
JA
Perkins
Eunice Y
EY
Chen
Fredric A
FA
Hoffer
Scott C
SC
Manning
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D000792:Angiography; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D007830:Larynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed