STATE CHANGES IN UPPER AIRWAY STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

该建议的重点是通过使用最先进的磁共振成像技术评估上气道的结构和功能来了解导致睡眠呼吸暂停的机制。 我们利用最先进的动态磁共振成像和标记技术的新实现，结合清醒和睡眠期间呼吸的生理监测，来评估睡眠呼吸暂停患者的上气道结构和功能。 这些研究已经开始阐明上气道的生物力学和顺应性，特别是确定其运动是呼吸期间和睡眠期间气道闭合期间上气道中发生的尺寸变化的基础的解剖结构。 我们的总体假设是，在呼吸、睡眠和呼吸暂停期间，调节气道大小变化的关键结构是咽侧壁。 定制的基于计算机图形的体积图像分析和显示方法提供了图像数据的客观定量。提高对阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者气道功能和机械异常的认识，将为这种疾病带来新的治疗策略。

The focus of this proposal is an understanding of the mechanisms leading to sleep apnea by evaluating the structure and function of the upper airway using state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging techniques. We have utilized novel implementations of state-of-the-art dynamic magnetic resonance imaging and tagging techniques coupled with p hysiologic monitoring of respiration during wakefulness and sleep to evaluate upper airway structure and function in patients with sleep apnea. These studies have begun to elucidate the biomechanics and compliance of the upper airway, and in particular determine the anatomic structures whose mortion underlies the dimensional changes that take place in the upper airway during respiration, and during airway closure during sleep. Our overall hypothesis is that the key structures mediating changes in airway size during respiration, sleep, and during apneas are the lateral pharyngeal walls. Customized computer graphics-based volumetric image analysis and display methods provide for objective quantitation of the image data. Improved understanding of the functional and mechanical airway abnormalities in patients with obstructive sleep apnea should lead to new treatment strategies for this disorder.