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Clinical study of bronchial wall area proportion in children and adolescents based on CT images

Leitao Wen1, Cong Shen2, Yuedong Han1

  • 1Imaging Center, Xi'An Gaoxin Hospital, 16 Tuanjie South Road, Yanta District, Xi'An, Shanxi Province, 710075, China.

BMC Pulmonary Medicine
|June 23, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Bronchial wall area proportion (WA%) decreases with age in children and adolescents. From age 16, males show lower WA% in upper airways compared to females, providing key pediatric reference data.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonary medicine
  • Pediatric radiology
  • Anatomy

Background:

  • Bronchial wall area proportion (WA%) is a key metric for assessing airway health.
  • Understanding normal WA% distribution in pediatric populations is crucial for diagnosing respiratory conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the distribution and characteristics of bronchial wall area proportion (WA%) in healthy Chinese children and adolescents aged 0-18 years.
  • To establish normative data for WA% across different age groups and sexes.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of chest CT scans from 795 healthy children and adolescents (aged 0-18 years).
  • Stratification into 19 age-specific groups by sex.
  • Automated quantification of bronchial structures using a digital pulmonary tracheal branch measurement tool to assess WA%.

Main Results:

  • Bronchial wall area proportion (WA%) demonstrated a negative correlation with age beyond the second airway branch in the pediatric population.
  • This age-related decrease in WA% was more pronounced in males.
  • Significant sex differences in WA% emerged from age 16 onwards, with males exhibiting lower WA% in the trachea, lung lobes, and upper bronchi compared to females.

Conclusions:

  • Bronchial wall area proportion (WA%) decreases with age in individuals aged 0-18 years.
  • Sex-based differences in WA% become apparent from age 16, with males having lower values in central airways and lung lobes.
  • This study provides essential reference data for bronchial wall characteristics in healthy pediatric populations.
Abstract

Keywords:
Automatic measurementBronchial WA%Normal chest CTNormal children and adolescents

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