Reproducibility of airway dimensions and tongue and hyoid positions on lateral cephalograms.

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of airway dimensions and tongue and hyoid positions on lateral cephalometric radiographs.

METHODS

Three lateral cephalograms each of 30 patients were obtained in natural head positions at 30-minute intervals. Twelve measurements, including pharyngeal airway dimensions and tongue and hyoid positions, were taken. The relationships between 3 sets of measurements were evaluated by using repeated analysis of variance, Dahlberg's method error formula, and correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

No statistically significant differences were found between the 3 sets of measurements with the repeated analysis of variance (P > .05). Correlation coefficient values ranged between 0.964 (vertical position of the hyoid) and 0.683 (hypopharyngeal airway width). The average method error was 1.22 mm.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that airway dimension and tongue- and hyoid-position measurements are highly reproducible on natural-head-position cephalograms.