ACOUSTIC RHINOMETRY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF OCCUPATIONAL RHINITIS

Acoustic rhinometry (ARM) has been used to study the nasal cavity geom etry and the response in nasal provocations. However, the use of ARM i n the diagnosis of occupational rhinitis (OR) has not been reported. T he purpose of this study was to find an ARM parameter and a limit valu e that could be used in provocation tests to express an objective chan ge in the nasal cavity geometry. We used a new calculated parameter, V olume MCA%, for describing the change in the nasal geometry. Volume MC A% is the mean of the percentile changes of nasal volumes and minimal cross-sectional areas in a provocation test. We recommend a decrease o f at least 15% in Volume MCA% for the limit of art essential change in the nasal cavity.