Increased compliance and excessive collapsibility of trachea &/or bronchi
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
Fluoroscopic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Dubey S et al: Respiratory subtype of relapsing polychondritis frequently presents as difficult asthma: a descriptive study of respiratory involvement in relapsing polychondritis with 13 patients from a single UK centre. ERJ Open Res. 7(1), 2021
Lima E et al: What is the optimal large airway size reduction value to determine malacia: exploratory bronchoscopic analysis in patients in Mounier-Kuhn syndrome. J Thorac Dis. 13(1):5-429, 2021
Hysinger EB et al: Ultrashort echo-time MRI for the assessment of tracheomalacia in neonates. Chest. 157(3):595-602, 2020
Mittal A et al: Chronic vaping related tracheomalacia (TM): a case of vaping induced altered innate immunity that culminated in severe TM. Cureus. 12(4):e7571, 2020
Muthialu N et al: Management of tracheal diseases in children. Front Pediatr. 8:297, 2020
Ren W et al: Prolonged endotracheal intubation: a feasible option for tracheomalacia after retrosternal goitre surgery. Ann Palliat Med. 9(4):1764-9, 2020
Les AS et al: 3D-printed, externally-implanted, bioresorbable airway splints for severe tracheobronchomalacia. Laryngoscope. 129(8):1763-71, 2019
Wallis C et al: ERS statement on tracheomalacia and bronchomalacia in children. Eur Respir J. 54(3), 2019
Kheir F et al: Tracheobronchomalacia and excessive dynamic airway collapse: medical and surgical treatment. Semin Respir Crit Care Med. 39(6):667-73, 2018
McInnis MC et al: Advanced technologies for imaging and visualization of the tracheobronchial tree: from computed tomography and MRI to virtual endoscopy. Thorac Surg Clin. 28(2):127-37, 2018
Shepard JO et al: Imaging of the trachea. Ann Cardiothorac Surg. 7(2):197-209, 2018
Buitrago DH et al: Current concepts in severe adult tracheobronchomalacia: evaluation and treatment. J Thorac Dis. 9(1):E57-66, 2017
Burke AP et al: Diseases of the trachea and bronchi practical thoracic pathology. In Diseases of the Lung, Heart and Thymus. Wolters Kluwer. 47-154, 2017
Luo M et al: Diagnostic Value of multidetector CT and its multiplanar reformation, volume rendering and virtual bronchoscopy postprocessing techniques for primary trachea and main bronchus tumors. PLoS One. 10(9):e0137329, 2015
Ridge CA et al: Tracheobronchomalacia: current concepts and controversies. J Thorac Imaging. 26(4):278-89, 2011
Gaissert HA et al: The compromised airway: tumors, strictures, and tracheomalacia. Surg Clin North Am. 90(5):1065-89, 2010
Javidan-Nejad C: MDCT of trachea and main bronchi. Radiol Clin North Am. 48(1):157-76, 2010
Lee KS et al: Update on multidetector computed tomography imaging of the airways. J Thorac Imaging. 25(2):112-24, 2010
Grenier P: Multidetector CT evaluation of tracheobronchomalacia. In Imaging of Airways Disease. Radiologic Clinics of North America. 261-70, 2009
Sverzellati N et al: Airway malacia in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: prevalence, morphology and relationship with emphysema, bronchiectasis and bronchial wall thickening. Eur Radiol. 19(7):1669-78, 2009
Heyer CM et al: Tracheobronchial anomalies and stenoses: detection with low-dose multidetector CT with virtual tracheobronchoscopy--comparison with flexible tracheobronchoscopy. Radiology. 242(2):542-9, 2007
Boiselle PM et al: Tracheal morphology in patients with tracheomalacia: prevalence of inspiratory lunate and expiratory "frown" shapes. J Thorac Imaging. 21(3):190-6, 2006
Baroni RH et al: Tracheobronchomalacia: comparison between end-expiratory and dynamic expiratory CT for evaluation of central airway collapse. Radiology. 235(2):635-41, 2005
Carden KA et al: Tracheomalacia and tracheobronchomalacia in children and adults: an in-depth review. Chest. 127(3):984-1005, 2005
Boiselle PM et al: Tracheobronchomalacia: evolving role of dynamic multislice helical CT. Radiol Clin North Am. 41(3):627-36, 2003
Hasegawa I et al: Tracheomalacia incidentally detected on CT pulmonary angiography of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 181(6):1505-9, 2003
Zhang J et al: 2003 AUR Memorial Award. Dynamic expiratory volumetric CT imaging of the central airways: comparison of standard-dose and low-dose techniques. Acad Radiol. 10(7):719-24, 2003
Gilkeson RC et al: Tracheobronchomalacia: dynamic airway evaluation with multidetector CT. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 176(1):205-10, 2001
Marom EM et al: Focal abnormalities of the trachea and main bronchi. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 176(3):707-11, 2001
Suto Y et al: Evaluation of tracheal collapsibility in patients with tracheomalacia using dynamic MR imaging during coughing. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 171(2):393-4, 1998
Stern EJ et al: Normal trachea during forced expiration: dynamic CT measurements. Radiology. 187(1):27-31, 1993
Breatnach E et al: Dimensions of the normal human trachea. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 142(5):903-6, 1984
Related Anatomy
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
Pathology
Clinical Issues
TERMINOLOGY
Synonyms
Tracheomalacia, bronchomalacia
Definitions
Increased compliance and excessive collapsibility of trachea &/or bronchi
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
Fluoroscopic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Dubey S et al: Respiratory subtype of relapsing polychondritis frequently presents as difficult asthma: a descriptive study of respiratory involvement in relapsing polychondritis with 13 patients from a single UK centre. ERJ Open Res. 7(1), 2021
Lima E et al: What is the optimal large airway size reduction value to determine malacia: exploratory bronchoscopic analysis in patients in Mounier-Kuhn syndrome. J Thorac Dis. 13(1):5-429, 2021
Hysinger EB et al: Ultrashort echo-time MRI for the assessment of tracheomalacia in neonates. Chest. 157(3):595-602, 2020
Mittal A et al: Chronic vaping related tracheomalacia (TM): a case of vaping induced altered innate immunity that culminated in severe TM. Cureus. 12(4):e7571, 2020
Muthialu N et al: Management of tracheal diseases in children. Front Pediatr. 8:297, 2020
Ren W et al: Prolonged endotracheal intubation: a feasible option for tracheomalacia after retrosternal goitre surgery. Ann Palliat Med. 9(4):1764-9, 2020
Les AS et al: 3D-printed, externally-implanted, bioresorbable airway splints for severe tracheobronchomalacia. Laryngoscope. 129(8):1763-71, 2019
Wallis C et al: ERS statement on tracheomalacia and bronchomalacia in children. Eur Respir J. 54(3), 2019
Kheir F et al: Tracheobronchomalacia and excessive dynamic airway collapse: medical and surgical treatment. Semin Respir Crit Care Med. 39(6):667-73, 2018
McInnis MC et al: Advanced technologies for imaging and visualization of the tracheobronchial tree: from computed tomography and MRI to virtual endoscopy. Thorac Surg Clin. 28(2):127-37, 2018
Shepard JO et al: Imaging of the trachea. Ann Cardiothorac Surg. 7(2):197-209, 2018
Buitrago DH et al: Current concepts in severe adult tracheobronchomalacia: evaluation and treatment. J Thorac Dis. 9(1):E57-66, 2017
Burke AP et al: Diseases of the trachea and bronchi practical thoracic pathology. In Diseases of the Lung, Heart and Thymus. Wolters Kluwer. 47-154, 2017
Luo M et al: Diagnostic Value of multidetector CT and its multiplanar reformation, volume rendering and virtual bronchoscopy postprocessing techniques for primary trachea and main bronchus tumors. PLoS One. 10(9):e0137329, 2015
Ridge CA et al: Tracheobronchomalacia: current concepts and controversies. J Thorac Imaging. 26(4):278-89, 2011
Gaissert HA et al: The compromised airway: tumors, strictures, and tracheomalacia. Surg Clin North Am. 90(5):1065-89, 2010
Javidan-Nejad C: MDCT of trachea and main bronchi. Radiol Clin North Am. 48(1):157-76, 2010
Lee KS et al: Update on multidetector computed tomography imaging of the airways. J Thorac Imaging. 25(2):112-24, 2010
Grenier P: Multidetector CT evaluation of tracheobronchomalacia. In Imaging of Airways Disease. Radiologic Clinics of North America. 261-70, 2009
Sverzellati N et al: Airway malacia in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: prevalence, morphology and relationship with emphysema, bronchiectasis and bronchial wall thickening. Eur Radiol. 19(7):1669-78, 2009
Heyer CM et al: Tracheobronchial anomalies and stenoses: detection with low-dose multidetector CT with virtual tracheobronchoscopy--comparison with flexible tracheobronchoscopy. Radiology. 242(2):542-9, 2007
Boiselle PM et al: Tracheal morphology in patients with tracheomalacia: prevalence of inspiratory lunate and expiratory "frown" shapes. J Thorac Imaging. 21(3):190-6, 2006
Baroni RH et al: Tracheobronchomalacia: comparison between end-expiratory and dynamic expiratory CT for evaluation of central airway collapse. Radiology. 235(2):635-41, 2005
Carden KA et al: Tracheomalacia and tracheobronchomalacia in children and adults: an in-depth review. Chest. 127(3):984-1005, 2005
Boiselle PM et al: Tracheobronchomalacia: evolving role of dynamic multislice helical CT. Radiol Clin North Am. 41(3):627-36, 2003
Hasegawa I et al: Tracheomalacia incidentally detected on CT pulmonary angiography of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 181(6):1505-9, 2003
Zhang J et al: 2003 AUR Memorial Award. Dynamic expiratory volumetric CT imaging of the central airways: comparison of standard-dose and low-dose techniques. Acad Radiol. 10(7):719-24, 2003
Gilkeson RC et al: Tracheobronchomalacia: dynamic airway evaluation with multidetector CT. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 176(1):205-10, 2001
Marom EM et al: Focal abnormalities of the trachea and main bronchi. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 176(3):707-11, 2001
Suto Y et al: Evaluation of tracheal collapsibility in patients with tracheomalacia using dynamic MR imaging during coughing. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 171(2):393-4, 1998
Stern EJ et al: Normal trachea during forced expiration: dynamic CT measurements. Radiology. 187(1):27-31, 1993
Breatnach E et al: Dimensions of the normal human trachea. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 142(5):903-6, 1984
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