Measuring the change in mechanical properties of upper airway soft tissues in obstructive sleep apnea using magnetic resonance elastography

Introduction Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a respiratory disorder characterized by the repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep. It affects ~ 7 % of the population and is a major risk factor for fatigue related accidents and cardiovascular disease. The pathophysiological mechanisms of OSA are unclear and the change in mechanical properties of soft tissues and tongue muscles surrounding the upper airway may contribute to collapsibility. Magnetic resonance elastography can be used to probe the mechanical properties of the tongue in deep regions not easily measured by other techniques. Our recent study showed that the average mechanical property of the tongue measure using MRE corresponded very well with those measured using other techniques [1]. The aim of this study is to measure the mechanical properties of the upper airway muscles in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea using MRE. We hypothesized that there will be regional softening of soft tissues in OSA patients compared to healthy control subjects. These first results support this hypothesis.