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Our objective was to review the clinical features and radiographic manifestations of chest wall lesions in a pediatric chest unit. Twenty-five patients (11 males and 14 females, aged 14 months to 15 years) were suspected of having a chest wall lesion on the basis of clinical examination and chest radiograph. A retrospective review of clinical characteristics and radiographic findings was performed in order to define the pathology and extent of lesions and outcomes of chest wall diseases in children. Thirty-six percent of pediatric patients studied for thoracic abnormalities had anatomical variations of the thoracic cage such as sternal titling, bifid ribs, and costal cartilage convexities. Tuberculous infections of the sternum and ribs were seen in 4 cases. Osteochondromas were seen in 4 patients, and were especially noted in patients with a history of familial exostosis. Other malignant thoracic wall tumors included in this study included chondrosarcoma (n=1), Ewing's sarcoma (n=1), and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (n=2). In conclusion, the protruding lesions arising from the chest wall demonstrate a wide range of normal, congenital variant, and pathologic lesions arising from the soft tissues and bony components. Those with life-threatening lesions (less likely located in the parasternal region) are more prone to have chest pains and dyspneic respirations; in most cases, plain chest radiographs tend to have a high rate of bony or pleural involvement as well as thoracic deformities. In an endemic area of tuberculosis, costal tuberculosis should be considered in undiagnosed bony lesions; a chest CT scan could be diagnostically useful.

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to investigate the correlation between upper airway 3-dimensional computed tomography (3-D CT) measurements and polysomnography data of patients with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: The 3-D CT scan measurements of the retropalatal space (RP), lateral and anteroposterior diameters of RP, retroglossal space, uvular thickness, and volume of upper airway were taken prospectively from 194 consecutive SDB patients. These were correlated with patients’ respective Respiratory Distress Index (RDI), snoring index, and lowest arterial oxygen saturation gathered from polysomnographic data. RESULTS: RP (r 0.27, P 0.0001) and lateral diameter (P 0.0073) were significantly correlated with RDI. Multivariate regression model (R 2 0.286) demonstrates RP (P 0.0036) and retroglossal space (P 0.027) to be predictive of RDI. No 3-D CT parameters correlated with snoring index and lowest arterial oxygen saturation attained statistical significant. CONCLUSION: The 3-D CT scan measurements can be valuable in evaluating upper airway patency in patients with SDB. The RP was the most relevant upper airway anatomic structure identified in these patients. SIGNIFICANCE: Modification of palatal surgery to increase the lateral dimension of the RP may be a breakthrough in increasing its success rate. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003;129:336-42.) Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) represents a continuum of sleep disorders that range from simple snoring to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Recent advances in the treatment of SDB for patients with and without OSAS have created the demand for a valid tool that can be used to evaluate the upper airway patency of patients undergoing surgery. Symptoms of habitual snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness are common in the general population and have a poor predictive value in identifying patients with

A 2-year-old boy presented with chronic wheezes and was refractory to medical treatment. A high carina with bilateral bronchial stenosis was erroneously diagnosed by bronchoscopic examination. Serial direct coronal computed tomographic scans showed a displaced right upper lobe tracheal bronchus associated with tracheal stenosis below the abnormal bronchus. A direct coronal computed tomographic scan of the tracheobronchial tree is a useful imaging technique for the delineation of airway configuration when the bronchoscope fails to pass beyond a stenotic region. A coronal computed tomographic scan may make invasive tracheobronchography unnecessary.