Ultrasonographic Measurement of Pharyngeal-Airway Dimension and Its Relationship with Obesity and Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Previous studies based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) have shown that pharyngeal airway diameter during wakefulness is different between healthy controls and patients with a high risk of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). However, MRI and CT are expensive and not easily accessible. Conversely, ultrasonography is more accessible and is getting more attention as a point-of-care technology to assess physiologic systems, such as the pharynx. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility of ultrasonography in estimating the pharyngeal airway dimension.
Source: Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Original Contribution Source Type: research