Acoustic rhinometry in infants and children

Acoustic rhinometry (AR) introduced a decade ago for assessment of the nasa l airways of adults, has several attractive features relevant to applicatio n in a paediatric population. Its non-invasive nature, simplicity and rapid ity are prime assets when examining infants and small children. Valid RR me asurements can be obtained in a few seconds and require minimal co-operatio n. The striking consistency of AR studies of healthy subjects and the agreemen t with CT-derived and directly measured choanal dimensions are a strong ind ication of its reliability. Acoustic rhinometry optimised for infants and s mall children opens new perspectives and possibilities in the assessment of nasal airway dimensions and their relationship to pathological conditions in both the upper and the lower airways. The objective of this paper is to describe the advantages of AR in infants and children, but also point out its limitations and potential sources of e rror. Practical guidelines as to the measurement procedure and analysis and interpretation of AR-data are outlined.