SLEEP-APNEA SYNDROME - COMPARISON OF MR-IMAGING OF THE OROPHARYNX WITH PHYSIOLOGICAL INDEXES

PURPOSE: To compare magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the oropharynx in patients with sleep apnea syndrome with fiberoptic nasopharyngoscop y, and oropharyngeal pressure and apnea index values. MATERIALS AND ME THODS: After sleep induction, 24 patients with sleep apnea syndrome an d nine patients with non-sleep-apnea snoring underwent MR imaging and fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy combined with subsequent measurement of o ropharyngeal pressue. Patients were previously classified with apnea i ndex values obtained at polysomnography. MR imaging and fiberoptic nas opharyngoscopic findings of severity and location of oropharyngeal abn ormalities were compared. Oropharyngeal pressure and apnea index value s were also compared with MR findings. RESULTS: A statistically signif icant correlation was observed between MR and fiberoptic nasopharyngos copic findings (r = .931; P < .0001). The degree of decompression in o ropharyngeal pressure and apnea index values in the multiple-site abno rmality group were statistically significantly higher than those in th e single-site abnormality group. CONCLUSION: MR imaging is useful for localization of sites of oropharyngeal abnormalities and for evaluatio n of the severity of apnea.