Assessing the acoustic rhinometry in Iranian population without nasal breathing compliance

Background: Evaluating the diagram of acoustic rhinometry in normal Iranian population can be very helpful in identifying the function of nasal air flow objective:. The aim of the present study was to examine the diagram of acoustic rhinometry in normal Iranian population with no breathing problem. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which 166 persons free of any breathing complaint underwent acoustic rhinometry test (GM acoustic rhinometry apparatus equipped with an ultrasound system) at Rasool-e-Akram hospital in Tehran. Later, the diagram of the minimum nasal cross section surface and volume was recorded and the data were further analyzed using t-test. Findings: While the minimum cross sectional surface in acoustic rhinometry test of 66.8% of individuals was 0.5597 cm3 at an average distance of 1840/4 cm from the anterior concha it was 0.6166 cm3 in 33.2% of individuals at a distance of 2.3355 from the anterior nostril. No significant correlation was found between the gender and both the volume and the minimum cross sectional surface although the nostril distance from the inferior concha was significantly lower in women compared to men (P<0.05). Also, no significant relationship between the height and age of study population and the volume and nasal cross section diameter was established. Conclusion: Regarding the differences found between the results of acoustic rhinometry in various races, it could be claimed that the findings of the present study obtained from Iranian population might be a suitable measure in diagnosis of nasal airway diseases leading to selection of the most appropriate method of treatment (medical or surgical) and also the possibility of comparing the pre- and post-operation results.