Comparison of Tracheal Diameter Measured by Chest X-Ray and by Computed Tomography

Abstract EN

Assessments of tracheal diameter (TD) are important to select proper endotracheal tubes.

Previous studies have used X-ray and physical indices to estimate tracheal diameter but these may not reflect the actual TD.

We compared TD measured by X-ray (TD-XP) and by computer tomography (TD-CT) in 200 patients.

Also, we analyzed correlation of TD-CT with physical indices such as age, height, weight, and BMI.

TD-XP and TD-CT were significantly correlated (male: n=55, P=.0146; female: n=91, P=.001).

TD-XP was 0.4 mm wider in male and 1.0 mm wider in female than TD-CT.

However, correlation coefficients of TD-XP and TD-CT are very weak (male: r=0.36; female: r=0.653).

TD-CT did not correlate with age, height, weight, or BMI.

Our findings suggest that correlations of TD-XP and TD are statistically significant but not clinically significant.

Physical indices are not useful to estimate TD.