3D map of children's upper airway shapes
A Pediatric Atlas of Upper Airway Shape
Building a 3D map of children's upper airways to define normal airway shape across ages and help doctors care for kids with breathing problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143901 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will use existing pediatric CT images and clinical information to create a three-dimensional map of the upper airway that shows how shape normally changes with age, weight, and sex. The team will apply computer methods to turn many individual scans into a shared 3D atlas that highlights typical anatomy at different ages. Parents and clinicians could use the atlas to compare a child's airway to age-based norms and better understand the degree and location of abnormal narrowing. The work builds on earlier pediatric airway measurements but focuses on full 3D shape rather than just cross-sectional areas.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children from birth through about 11 years who have upper-airway CT imaging or known airway conditions such as subglottic stenosis or Robin sequence.
Not a fit: Children without any CT imaging, adults, or those outside the age range are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the atlas could give clinicians objective 3D standards to spot airway problems earlier and plan medical or surgical treatment more precisely for children with breathing issues.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work produced a pediatric airway atlas using cross-sectional area measures and other studies have used CT and bronchoscopy for airway assessment, but a comprehensive 3D normative airway shape atlas is a newer advance.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Niethammer, Marc — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Niethammer, Marc
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.