RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Functional respiratory imaging as a tool to assess upper airway patency in children with OSA
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 1489
VO 42
IS Suppl 57
A1 Cedric Van Holsbeke
A1 Wim Vos
A1 Kim Van Hoorenbeeck
A1 An Boudewyns
A1 Jan De Backer
A1 Wilfried De Backer
A1 Stijn Verhulst
YR 2013
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/1489.abstract
AB Objective: To investigate if anatomical and functional properties of the upper airway using computational 3D-models derived from CT images better predict obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity than standard clinical markers. Methods: Children with suspected OSA underwent polysomnography, clinical assessment of upper airway patency and a CT scan while being awake. A 3D-reconstruction of the pharyngeal airway was built from these images, and computational fluid dynamics modelling of low inspiratory flow was performed. Results: 33 children were included (23 boys, mean age was 6.0 ± 3.2 years). OSA was diagnosed in 23 patients. Children with OSA had a significantly lower volume of the overlap region between tonsils and adenoids, a lower mean cross-sectional area at this location and a lower minimal cross-sectional area. Various significant correlations were found between several imaging parameters and the severity of OSA, most pronounced for upper airway conductance. No differences or significant correlations were observed with clinical parameters of upper airway patency. Preliminary data after treatment showed that none of the patients with residual OSA had their smallest cross-sectional area located in segment 3 and this frequency was significantly lower than in their peers whose sleep study normalized (64%; p = 0.05). Conclusion: Functional imaging parameters are highly correlated with OSA severity and are a more powerful correlate than clinical scores of upper airway patency. Preliminary data also showed that we could identify differences in the upper airway of those subjects who did not benefit from a local upper airway treatment.