Imaging of the pediatric airway

Airway compromise can be fixed, dynamic (with varying degrees of collapse during the respiratory cycle), or exhibit both components. The location of the abnormality can be classified as extrinsic (located outside but exerting mass effect on the airway) or intrinsic (intramural and/or intraluminal). The etiologies of airway compromise are categorized as: congenital, infectious, inflammatory, traumatic, vascular, or neoplastic (1). The role of imaging of the airway is to determine the presence, nature and anatomic level of airway compromise, categorize it as intrinsic or extrinsic, provide a differential diagnosis, and guide further imaging or management (1). The differential diagnosis of a lesion takes into account the patient's age and gender, location of the lesion, clinical presentation, and imaging appearance.