Abstract
Objectives
Food flow in the oropharynx changes when the head is rotated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate morphological differences in the upper and lower piriform sinuses in head-on (HO) versus head-rotated (HR) positions.
Methods
Ten healthy adult volunteers with no previous history of dysphagia were subjected to cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in the HO and HR positions. Binary CBCT images were created at 50% gray scale to examine morphological changes in the lower piriform sinuses.
Results
Upon rotation to the right, the cross-sectional area of the left lower piriform sinus increased significantly (P = 0.037). The depth of the right lower piriform sinus also increased significantly (P = 0.011) upon rotation. The volume of the lower piriform sinuses increased significantly on both sides (right, P = 0.009; left, P = 0.013). The upper piriform sinuses acquired a teardrop shape, with the rotated side narrowed and opposite side enlarged.
Conclusions
These results suggest that changes in food flow during head rotation result mainly from changes in the size and shape of the upper piriform sinuses.
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Yamashina, A., Tanimoto, K., Ohtsuka, M. et al. A morphological comparison of the piriform sinuses in head-on and head-rotated views of seated subjects using cone-beam computed tomography. Oral Radiol 24, 64–70 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-008-0077-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-008-0077-3