Abstract: Objective: To study the CT imaging of upper airway at the lingual region stricture for obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea (OSAHS) patients and to explore its meaning. Methods: One hundred patients with OSAHS were enrolled in this study and divided into two groups :the stricture group (24 cases) and the non-stricture group (76 cases). The dimension of the lingual region airway, the thickness of the retro-pharyngeal and the lateral pharyngealtissue， and the width and length of the tongue were determined. Results: There was no difference of age, BMI, AHI and pulse oxygen between the stricture group and the non-stricture group. The coronal and the arrow diameters of the stricture group were less than those of the non-stricture group. The thickness of the retropharyngeal and lateral pharyngeal wall, and the width and length of the tongue of the stricture group were larger than those of the non-stricture group. Conclusion: Lingual region stricture occurs in about 24% of patients with OSAHS, which may be caused by the incrassation of the retropharyngeal and lateral pharyngeal wall and fleshy tongue.

Key words: Sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome, obstructive, Tomography, X-ray, computer, Upper airway, Obstruction of airway