[The evaluation of virtual endoscopy and fiberoptic endoscopy in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome].

Objective: The utility of virtual endoscopy is compared to fiberoptic endoscopy and was also investigated with respect to accuracy of diagnosis and reproduction of images in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Method: Twenty-one patients with OSAHS were examined by helical spiral CT axial images and fiberoptic endoscopy. The helical spiral CT axial data was reconstructed using a VE software program. The results were compared to the fiberoptic endoscopic findings done by the otolaryngologists. All the patients were examined both in the sleeping and nonsleeping status. The dimensions of soft palate, uvula, lingua and epiglottis region were evaluated.

Result: The results both in the virtual endoscopy evaluation and fiberoptic endoscopy was statistically significant difference in all of region. In the palate region, there was statistically significant difference in the left-and-right dimension, but no difference in the fore-and-aft dimension both in the sleeping and nonsleeping status.

Conclusion: The dimensions of upper airway were more difference between in the sleeping and nonsleeping status. The change of dimension was more in the left-and-right; the fiberoptic endoscopy has more diagnostic significance in evaluation of dynamic movement of the upper airway; virtual endoscopy evaluation of the upper airway was accurate in assessing stenosis width and length; virtual endoscopy added more information about anatomic structure and pathological change of the upper airway.