Clinical Significance of Upper Airway Dynamic Magnetic Resonance in the Assessment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the value of upper airway dynamic magnetic resonance (UADMR) in assessing the level and degree of obstruction in the upper airway during sleep in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Patients and methods: Patients with OSAHS diagnosed by polysomnography (PSG) from February 2025 to March 2025 were included in this study, and UADMR was performed to detect the obstructive levels (palatopharyngeal level, root of tongue level, and epiglottic level) and assess the degree of obstruction at the root of the tongue and epiglottic levels. Subgroup analyses were performed according to different obstructive characteristics and the results of UADMR were assessed for correlation analysis with the results of PSG or manual titration of positive airway pressure. This study used Müller maneuver to simulate the airway collapse during sleep.

Results: A total of 34 OSAHS patients were included in this study. It was observed that the hypopnea index, apnea hypopnea index, and tongue axial change ratio were significantly higher in OSAHS patients with multiple layers of airway obstruction than in those with palatopharyngeal obstruction only. The anteroposterior diameter change ratio at the level of the root of the tongue and the area change ratio at the level of the epiglottis in patients with OSAHS were positively correlated with the results of the PSG, and the tongue axial change ratio was positively associated with the results of the manual titration of positive airway pressure.

Conclusion: UADMR is an effective method for assessing the level and degree of upper airway obstruction during sleep in patients with OSAHS.