Sonographic Estimation of Normal Palatine Tonsil Size in Under 18 Year Olds Who Visited a Tertiary Teaching Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Currently, there is no standard normal tonsillar measurement using ultrasound (US) which can be used for comparison with an abnormal palatine tonsil in clinical practice. Objectives: In this study, we aim to estimate normal palatine tonsil size using US in children who have no tonsillar-related disease in TASH, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at TASH. The study was conducted on patients under age of 18 years who visit the hospital for complaints unrelated to tonsillar diseases from May 26-September 30, 2023. A structured research tool was used to collect all the necessary data from participants selected by convenience sampling. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS Version 27 software. Results: A total of 265 patients were enrolled in the study in the age range of 0-18 years. The mean palatine tonsillar volume ± SD for the right palatine tonsil was 0.97cm³ ± 0.55 and it was 0.97cm³ ± 0.56 for the left tonsil. We did not identify any significant correlation between PT values and sex as well as the side of palatine tonsil measured. We detected a significant positive correlation between PT values and height, weight, and body mass index (BMI), height having the strongest correlation and BMI the least. Relative contribution of anthropometric parameters to tonsil size varies with age: height is more influential in younger children and weight in early childhood, whereas evidence for BMI influence in older individuals is inconclusive. Conclusion: Normal tonsillar sizes on transcervical US can be used to aid diagnosis of tonsillar pathologies. Palatine tonsil size correlates with age, height, weight, and BMI; however, no correlation is present for sex and side. Age-specific anthropometric profiles and ethnic population differences also contribute to variability in palatine tonsil size measurements and should be carefully considered when interpreting normal tonsil dimensions.