Measurement of Trachea with MRI in the Normal Korean Adults

Kim, Yong Hwei; Kim, Young Ki; Kang, Soon Ho; Kim, Young Dae; Moon, Byung Soo; Kim, Pil Gon

Abstract

It is clinically important to know the size of normal trachea for airway management and respiratory care. The knowledge is useful for avoiding many possible complications due to tracheal intubation by appropriate choice of endotracheal tube size. Therefore, we investigated antero-posterior(A-P) diameter, transverse diameter and cross- sectional area(CSA) of trachea at various level with MRI(magnetic resonance imaging) in 70 males and 79 females who were divided into three age groups(group 1: 16-39 year of age, group 2: 40-59 year of age, group 3: 60-83 year of age), and they had no abnormalities in cardiopulmonary system. The results were as follows; 1. A-P 2. Transverse 3. Narrowing portion 4. CSA 1. A-P diameter of trachea was 17.1+/-1.4 mm in male and 13.9+/-1.3 mm in female. Transverse diameter of trachea was 15.1+/-1.6 mm in male and 13.3+/-1.5 mm in female(Table 1). A-P and Transverse diameters were greater in male than in female (P<0.05). 2. C-7 was the narrowest portion of A-P diameter in both sex (P<0,05). C-5 was the narro- west portion of transverse diameter in both sex (P<0.05). 3. A-P diameters of trachea among male patients were 17.1+/-1.2 mm, 17.41.6 mm, and 16.6+/- 1.3 mm in group 1, 2 and 3 (Table 3, Fig. 4). A-P diameters of trachea in female age group 1, group 2 and group 3 were 13.7+/-1.2 mm, 14.3+/-1.3 mm, and 13.6+/-1.5 mm(Table 3, Fig. 4). Transverse diameters of trachea in male age group 1, group 2 and group 3 were 14.8+/-1.4 mm, 15.1+/-1.7 mm, and 15.4+/-1.6 mm(Table 3, Fig. 4). Transverse diameters of trachea in female age group 1, group 2 and group 3 were 13.0+/- 1.2 mm, 13.6+/-1.9 mm and 13.5+/-1.4 mm(Table 3, Fig. 4). 4. CSA(cross sectional area) of trachea were 201.1+/-31.3 mm(2) in male and 145.4+/-27.7(2) mm in female(Table 4). 5. CSA at C5, C6, C7 and Tl in male were 175.9+/-61.1 mm(2), 201.1+/-43.8 mm(2), 196.2+/-36.2 mm(2) and 230.9+/-463 mm(2) (Table 4, Fig. 5). CSA at C5, C6, C7 and Tl in female were 127.0+/- 33.4 mm(2), 138.434.6 mm(2), 140.734.7 mm(2) and 171.7+/-42.0 mm(2) (Table 4, Fig. 5). 6. CSA of trachea among male patients were 198.1+/-28,5 mm(2), 206.2+/-33.0 mm(2) and 198.3+/-33.1 mm(2) in group 1, 2 and 3 (Table 5, Fig. 6). CSA of trachea in female age group 1, group 2 and group. 3 were 140.2+/-25.0 mm(2), 152.8+/-32.4 mm(2) and 145.6+/-25.1 mm(2) (Table 5, Fig. 6). But there was no significant difference between groups according to the sex. 7. CSA of trachea in age groups were stastically insignificant for both sex.