Keywords:
Head and neck, MR, Experimental investigations, Metabolic disorders
Authors:
E. Butorova, D. Ustyuzhanin, R. Bakhtiozin, M. Shariya; Moscow/RU
Methods and Materials
40 obese males (31 to 66 years) included in the study were divided into 2 groups.
OSAS group included 20 patients with body-mass index (BMI) of 35.1±3.4 kg/m2 and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 54±16.
Control group included 20 patients with BMI of 32.0±2.6 and without OSAS (AHI of 2±1) or with light OSAS (AHI of 10±3).
All patients underwent MRI using 3T scanner with measurement of the volume of the soft palate (VSP),
the volume of tongue (VT),
the volume of the lateral walls (VLW) of the RP (retropalatal) and RG (retroglossal) regions,
the area of maximum airway constriction (SmaxCA) at the level of RP and RG regions.
The pharynx was divided into the following segments.
Level RP (region retropalatal) was defined from the hard palate to the lower edge of the soft palate.
Level RG (region retroglossal) was defined from the lower edge of the soft palate to the bottom of the epiglottis.