MRI determination of volumes for the upper airway and pharyngeal lymphoid tissue in preterm and term infants.

We aim to determine average volumes of the upper airway, adenoids and tonsils in preterm and term infants and assess for the differences according to weight, sex and ethnicity. The volumes of the upper airways, tonsils and adenoids were measured from brain MR images in 96 (49 preterm and 47 term) infants and compared using a two-tailed t-test (significant at p<0.05). The average volumes are reported for both groups. Term infants showed larger naso- and oropharyngeal volumes (independent of weight, sex, and ethnicity). No differences in hypopharyngeal, adenoidal or tonsillar volumes were found.