Jin Ho Shin, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Hyun Woo Goo MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To assess the usefulness of free breathing cine CT in the detection of tracheomalacia in infants and children.

Free breathing cine CT of the trachea was performed in 34 controls (17 males, age range 8 days-8 years) and 34 patients with tracheomalacia (18 males, age range 7 days-7 years). Diagnostic criterion of tracheomalacia was bronchoscopic diagnosis (n=25) or tracheal collapse > 60% on imaging methods (n=9) such as CT, fluoroscopy, or chest radiography. Patients with focal tracheal stenosis were excluded. The controls underwent CT for metastasis work-up (n=31), infection (n=1), or Alagille syndrome (n=2). From the measured maximal (Max) and minimal (Min) areas at two tracheal levels, percentage change in tracheal cross-sectional area was calculated by using a formula (Max-Min/Max × 100). Unpaired student’s t-test was used to compare the percentage change between the two groups.

Percentage changes in tracheal cross-sectional area (58.0%±18.5, upper and lower limits, 100% and 32.3%) in the patient with tracheomalacia were significantly greater than those (9.6%±5.1; upper and lower limits, 21.4% and 0.2%) in the controls (p<0.001).

Free breathing cine CT is useful for detecting tracheomalacia in infants and children.

The diagnosis of tracheomalacia may be achieved noninvasively by free breathing cine CT in young children.

Shin, J, Goo, H, Tracheomalacia in Infants and Children: Detection by Free Breathing Cine CT.  Radiological Society of North America 2010 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2010 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2010/9005286.html