Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-gvh9x Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-21T05:30:24.806Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effect of respiration on nasopharyngeal radiographs when assessing adenoidal enlargement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

P. D. Britton*
Affiliation:
Cambridge
*
P. D. Britton, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills road, Cambridge.

Abstract

Clinical assessment of adenoidal enlargement in children is difficult and so the lateral nasopharyngeal radiograph is frequently used to assess both adenoid size and the appearance of the adjacent airways. Various measurements of the soft tissues and airways can be made to assess normality or otherwise. Little previously has been mentioned about the physiological conditions, particularly the mode of respiration, under which these radiographs should be obtained and how changes in these conditions affect their appearance. The marked effect in the appearances of nasopharyngeal soft tissues and palatal airway on simply changing from mouth to nose breathing is presented, and an alternative method of examination, for use under certain circumstances is described.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cohen, D., and Konak, S. (1985) The evaluation of radiographs of the nasopharynx. Clinical Otolaryngology, 10: 7378.Google Scholar
Fujioka, M., Young, L. W. and Girday, B. R. (1979) Radiographic evaluation of adenoidal size in children: adenoidonasopharyngeal ratio. American Journal of Roentgenology, 133: 401404.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guilleminault, L., Tilkian, A., and Denest, W. C. (1976) The sleep apnoea syndromes. Annual Review of Medicine, 27: 465484.Google Scholar
Hibbert, J. and Stell, P. M. (1978) Adenoidectomy. An evaluation of the indications. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 53: 910911.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hibbert, J. and Stell, P. M. (1979) A radiological study of the adenoid in normal children. Clinical Otolaryngology, 4: 321327.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hibbert, J. and Whitehouse, G. H. (1978) The assessment of adenoidal size by radiological means. Clinical Otolaryngology, 3: 4347.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jeans, W. D., Fernando, D. C. J. and Maw, A. R. (1981) How should adenoidal enlargement be measured. A radiological study based on interobserver agreement. Clinical Radiology, 32: 337340.Google Scholar
Maw, A. R., Jeans, W. D. and Fernando, D. C. J. (1981) Interobserver variability in the clinical and radiological assessment of adenoid size and the correlation with adenoid volume. Clinical Otolaryngology, 6: 317322.Google Scholar
Mawson, S. (1979) Diseases of Tonsil and Adenoid. In Scott-Brown's Diseases of the Ear, Nose and Throat. (Ballantyne, J. & Groves, J. eds.) 4th Edition, Vol. 4. Butterworth and Co. London.Google Scholar
Smithius, R. H. M. (1987) Assessing nasopharyngeal pseudomasses. Journal of Medical Imaging, 1: 6163.Google Scholar
Sorensen, H., Solow, B. and Greve, E. (1980) Assessment of the nasopharyngeal airway. Acta Otolaryngologica, 89: 227232.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed