title: Measurement and analysis of the tracheobronchial tree in Chinese population using computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain accurate measurements of, and the relationships between, the normative parameters of the tracheobronchial trees in the Chinese population using multi-slice spiral computed tomography (CT) and multi-planar reconstruction (MPR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements were performed on 2107 patients who underwent thoracic CT scans in the PLA General Hospital. The lengths of the trachea and the main stem bronchi, and the sizes of the subcarinal angle were obtained through CT or MPR imaging. Multi-variance analyses were performed to detect potential correlations between obtained parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean length of the trachea was 104.9 ± 13.4 mm (107.8 ± 13.2 mm for men and 101.4 ± 12.8 mm for women). The mean lengths of the right and left main stem bronchi were 13.6 ± 4.3 and 48.3 ± 6.5 mm, respectively. The right bronchus angle and the left bronchus angle were 34.9 and 42.5 degrees, respectively. Significant gender differences were found in all the parameters measured except for the angle of the right upper lobe bronchus. There are no statistically significant correlations among these parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The normal reference values and the likely ranges of distribution of the tracheobronchial trees in the Chinese population have been established. Significant gender differences exist in the dimensions of the trachea, with the exception of the Right upper bronchial angle (RUA).
authors.affiliation: Anesthesia and Operation Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.affiliation: Anesthesia and Operation Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Changsheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Anesthesia and Operation Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Anesthesia and Operation Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Jiangbei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Southern Building, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Changtian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Anesthesia and Operation Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, The 309th hospital of Chinese PLA, Beijing, 100096, China.
authors.forename: Xianwang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Tie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D001980:Bronchi / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001995:Bronchography; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014132:Trachea / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult