title: The acoustic reflection method for the assessment of paediatric upper airways.
abstract: The acoustic reflection method (ARM) is based on the analysis of the reflection of an acoustic wave in the airway, allowing the calculation of its longitudinal cross-sectional area profile and airway resistance. The ARM represents a simple, quick and totally non invasive tool for the investigation of the upper airways, requiring minimal cooperation, which makes this technique particularly suitable for children. Normal values of the minimal cross sectional area of the upper airways in children have been recently published. The ARM has shown its utility in the investigation of the nasal cavity in healthy and diseased children and of the upper airways in children with various diseases such as mucopolysaccharidosis and cystic fibrosis. This simple, rapid, and inexpensive technique seems promising for the non-invasive investigation of the whole upper airway during wakefulness in children, both in health and disease, and may constitute a complementary or alternative method to explore and follow children with anomalies of the upper airways.
authors.affiliation: UPMC University Paris 06, France; Paediatric Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department; INSERM, Unité U955, Créteil, F-94010, France; AP-HP, Armand-Trousseau Children's Hospital, 26 Avenue du Dr Arnold Netter - 75012 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Leboulanger
authors.affiliation: INSERM, Unité U955, Créteil, F-94010, France; Université Paris-Est, Faculté de Médecine, Créteil, F-94010, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.affiliation: UPMC University Paris 06, France; Paediatric Pulmonology Department; INSERM, Unité U955, Créteil, F-94010, France; AP-HP, Armand-Trousseau Children's Hospital, 26 Avenue du Dr Arnold Netter - 75012 Paris, France. Electronic address: brigitte.fauroux@trs.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fauroux
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000403:Airway Resistance; D002648:Child; D003948:Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000502:physiology*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000502:physiology*; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014132:Trachea / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Acoustic reflection method; Assessment; Child; Larynx; Upper airways; trachea