Measurements of normal nasal airway assessed by 3-dimensional computed tomography in Chinese children and adolescents

ObjectiveTo establish normative data of nasal airway dimensions in Chinese children and adolescents by age and sex.MethodsCT images of 281 Chinese children and adolescents (140 girls and 141 boys) aged from 6 to 18 years (yr) were selected among the patients who visited in Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital from September 2009 to August 2010. Subjects were divided into four age groups as group 1 (6–9 yr), group 2 (10–12 yr), group 3 (13–15 yr), and group 4 (16–18 yr). Child was defined as 6–12 yr, and adolescent as 13–18 yr. Nasal parameters were as follow: nasal volume (NV), length of nasal airway (NL), minimal cross-section area (CSA 1) and its location (D 1), inferior turbinate head's location (D 2) and its airway cross-section area (CSA 2), and cross-sectional area of choanal (CSA 3).ResultsThere was no significant sex dimorphism in nasal parameters in children (group 1 and group 2). In adolescents, male's nasal dimension were larger than female's. CSA 1, D 1, CSA 2, CSA 3, NL and NV correlated with age in male and female respectively.ConclusionsVolume, length and cross-section area of nasal airway were correlated with age in Chinese children and adolescents aged from 6 to 18 yr. In children, nasal conformations of male and female are similar. In adolescents, sex dimorphisms in nasal parameters were significant.