3-DIMENSIONAL IMAGING OF THE PEDIATRIC AIRWAY

Accurate imaging of the pediatric tracheobronchial tree is indicated f or the evaluation of congenital or acquired abnormalities. Conventiona l axial computed tomography (CT) is now considered the best imaging mo dality for evaluation of the trachea and major bronchi, and has almost completely replaced the former gold standard of tracheobronchography. Preliminary results indicate that CT scan performance is further enha nced through the application of spiral technology and two-dimensional (2D) and 3D representation of the tracheobronchial tree. Spiral CT sca ns with 3D surface rendering offers an opportunity to replace traditio nal tracheobronchography with a safer, less invasive modality. (C) 199 7 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.