THE ASSESSMENT OF HYPERTROPHY OF NASOPHARYNGEAL TONSIL BY ACOUSTICAL METHODS

The possibilities for using acoustical analysis as a noninvasive measu re of the degree of obstruction created by an enlarged pharyngeal tons il (adenoid) are discussed. The method capitalizes on the relationship which exists between a specific obstruction of the respiratory tract and the resulting respiratory sound. Results indicate that as the aden oid increases in size relative to the size of the nasopharynx, the dom inant components of the respiratory sound spectrum shift towards a hig her frequency range. Furthermore, the correlation found between the as sessments of the obstruction due to various sizes of the adenoid by ra diological methods and acoustical analyses supports the theoretical pr ediction that information on the size of the constriction is carried b y the respiratory sound. Therefore, careful analyses of the acoustic p atterns in the respiratory sound can assist in identifying constrictio ns and monitoring the constriction changes in the upper respiratory tr act.