Abstract:

Objective　To explore imaging features of lingual arterial CT angiography (CTA) among patients of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) with different lingua-palate position types. Methods: Ninety-three patients with OSAHS were included in the study and the lingual upper airway CT and lingual arterial CTA were obtained. The CT data among 4 groups of patients with different lingua-palate position types were compared.　Results　 There were no difference in the ages, AHI and LSaO2 among 4 groups of patients, however, the difference appeared in the BMI, area of lingual airway, length and thickness of lingua. For 4 groups, the length of lingual artery(mm) were 93.6±15.84, 95.9±16.39, 99.6±15.19 and 110.0±12.16, respectively, and the depth(mm) at the site of lacuna of tongue 27.4±5.81, 27.3±4.28, 28.0±4.43 and 31.2±6.38, respectively. The distance between bilateral lingual arteries (mm)  were 21.7±3.57, 23.1±4.90, 22.8±5.53, and 25.6±4.60，respectively, with the significant difference. There were correlation between the depth of lingual artery and lingual thickness, as well the distance of bilateral lingual arteries and the lingual width.　Conclusions　For OSAHS patients, the courses of lingual artery and imaging data are different, which maybe concerned with the anatomic features of tongue.

Key words: Sleep apnea,  , Obstructive, Glossectomy, Lingual artery, Tomography, X-ray computer