[Upper airway's 3D analysis of patients with obstructive sleep apnea using tomographic cone beam]

Abstract

The progress of medical imaging over the last decades has led to a better understanding of the upper airway structure in sleep-disordered patients. The Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSA) is attributed to a functional narrowing of the upper airway, particularly of the oropharynx, during sleep. This narrowing is multifactorial. We have shown that in 60% cases, the maxilla (nasal pyramid) seems too narrow. A mandible retroposition may also play a dominant role in 30% of the cases. Both scenarios can be combined. Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is a new medical imaging technique that permits to visualize the upper airway with less ionizing radiation than the conventional scanner. To date, only five authors have performed an upper airway's 3D analysis of sleep apnea patients with cone beam. A better understanding of the affected segment of the upper airway should help refine treatment options.