Cross-sectional shape of the child's trachea by computed tomography.

Computed tomographic scanning was used to investigate the shape in cross section of the lumen of the pediatric trachea. Seven children up to age 10 (mostly age 6 or older), six girls aged 10-19, and six boys aged 10-19 had scans of their tracheas, mostly during breath-holding not far from total lung capacity. At these ages and under these circumstances, the trachea may be slightly narrow just below the larynx, and it broadens just above its bifurcation. At other levels, it is only mildly or moderately off-circular although there are variations from patient to patient and from level to level. The severely off-circular shapes found by others during autopsies and computed tomography of the middle-aged and elderly were not detected in these children and adolescents. Under the circumstances of the study, there was little change in shape or size as the trachea passed from the neck into the chest, nor was there a consistent difference in tracheal shape between girls and boys.