ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine if snorers have a narrower oropharyngeal airway area because of fat infiltration, and an elevated body mass index. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten control subjects and 19 patients that snored were evaluated. We obtained 2-mm-thick axial CT scan images every 0.6 seconds during expiration and inspiration at the same level of the oropharynx. We selected the largest and the smallest oropharyngeal airway areas and found the differences. From the slice that had the smallest oropharyngeal airway area, the thickness of the parapharyngeal and subcutaneous fat was measured. The measurements from the left and right side were added together and single values for parapharyngeal and subcutaneous fat tissue thickness were then found. RESULTS: The conventional measure of body mass index was significantly higher in the snorers (p < 0.05). The difference in the smallest oropharyngeal airway area between snorers and the controls was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The average difference between the largest and the smallest oropharyngeal area in the control group and the snorer group was statistically significant (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the largest oropharyngeal airway area, the total subcutaneous fat width and the total parapharyngeal fat width between snorers and control subjects (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: We concluded that the oropharyngeal fat deposition in snorers is not an important factor, and it does not predispose a person to the upper airway narrowing.
Subject(s)
Adipose Tissue/diagnostic imaging , Oropharynx/diagnostic imaging , Snoring/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, Spiral Computed , Adipose Tissue/pathology , Adult , Body Mass Index , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Oropharynx/pathology , Snoring/pathologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: We aimed to determine the effect of informing patients about side effects of the contrast material on the level of patients' anxiety. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred-ninety seven patients undergoing computed tomography examination were enrolled in the study. Patients were grouped in three categories: (1) patients informed about adverse effects of contrast material and waiting for i.v. contrast material injection, (2) uninformed patients waiting for i.v. contrast material injection, (3) uninformed patients undergoing unenhanced CT examination. All patients were requested to complete a questionnaire including a standard anxiety test. The results were compared statistically. RESULTS: The mean anxiety scores calculated by variant analysis were 39.2 +/- 11.7, 42 +/- 10.4, and 38.6 +/- 9.5 in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between the anxiety scores of the 3 groups. CONCLUSION: Informing patients about the adverse effects of the contrast material does not affect their anxiety level.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/etiology , Contrast Media/adverse effects , Informed Consent/psychology , Iodine Radioisotopes/adverse effects , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Adult , Contrast Media/administration & dosage , Female , Humans , Injections, Intravenous , Iodine Radioisotopes/administration & dosage , Male , Manifest Anxiety Scale , Records , Surveys and Questionnaires , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/adverse effects , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/psychologyABSTRACT
Maxillary myxoma is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor of unknown etiology. Although odontogenic myxomas are benign and nonmetastasizing tumors, they are locally invasive and have a propensity to recur if incompletely resected. We report a case of odontogenic myxoma involving the anterior part of the maxilla and discuss the role and findings of radiologic imaging.
