Linear and cross-sectional measurements on frontal and sagittal cross-sections containing the most enlarged adenoids and nasopharyngeal airway volumes were obtained from cone-beam computed tomography scans of 64 healthy children (11.0 +/- 1.8 years), and the interrelationships of these measurements were evaluated.
RESULTS:
On the basis of frontal section images, the subjects' nasopharyngeal airways were divided into the following 2 types the broad and long type and the narrow and flat type. The nasopharyngeal airway sizes and volumes were smaller in subjects with narrow and flat airways than in those with broad and long airways (p < 0.01). Childrenwho showed high adenoid-nasopharyngeal ratios on sagittal imaging, indicating moderate to severe adenoidhypertrophy, had the narrow and flat type nasopharyngeal airway (p < 0.01).