MRI of the pharynx in young patients with sleep disordered breathing

15 patients, aged 1-14 years, with sleep disordered breathing underwent turbo fast low angle shot MRI during drug-induced sleep. The site of obstruction within the pharynx was identified. Data from MRI were compared with fibroscopic findings. The degree of hypertrophy of the palatine tonsils as determined by MRI was also compared with that determined by visual inspection while awake. MRI was completed in all cases, whereas fibroscopy was completed in only six of the 10 cases examined. MRI findings agreed with those of fibroscopy in all the patients who underwent both investigations. On MRI, the pharynx was obstructed in 12 of the 15 cases examined (80%); the palatine tonsils were involved in all of these while both the palatine tonsils and nasopharynx were obstructed in three of the 12 cases. One of the 12 patients was graded as Grade I of Mackenzie's scale. One of the cases graded as Grade II showed no obstruction. In conclusion, fast MRI proved useful in identifying the site of pharyngeal obstruction in young patients with sleep disordered breathing.