Evaluation of the Relationship between Childhood Adenoid Tissue and Subcutaneous Fat Tissue Using MRI

Abstract

Purpose: In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the relationship between subcutaneous fat tissue thickness in the neck region and nasopharyngeal air passage in pediatric patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: In our study, medical imaging records of 93 children (46 male and 47 female) aged between 4-6 years, who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for any reason between June 2018 and December 2018, were retrospec-tively examined on the purpose of evaluation of adenoid tissue thickness and occipital subcutaneous fat tissue thickness. Single plane (sagittal plane) rapid sequence MRI images taken from the patients within the last one year were used for this purpose. Results: A total of 93 cases, 46(49.5%) male and 47(50.5%) female, were included in the study. No statistically significant differ-ence was observed in nasopharyngeal adenoid tissue thickness and occipital region subcutaneous fat tissue thicknesses according to gender. While the mean adenoid tissue thickness was 9.8±2.13 mm in men, it was measured as 9.25±1.74 mm in women (p=0.178). The mean subcutaneous fat tissue thickness obtained from the occipital region was 5.65±1.26 mm in male, whereas it was found to be 5.84±1.28 mm in women (p=0.465). However, a significant moderate positive correlation was found between the occipital subcutaneous fat tissue thickness, adenoid tissue thickness (Rho=0.488 p=0.000) and the percentage of nasopharyngeal air passage stenosis (Rho=0.482 p=0.000). Conclusion: The nasopharyngeal air passage was observed to be significantly narrowed as occipital subcutaneous fat tissue thickness and adenoid tissue thickness increased.

Keywords

• adenoid
• mri
• obesity
• pediatric
• sleep apnea