Medical policy: Rhinomanometry and Acoustic/Optical Rhinometry

Número de política: MP 2.088

Fecha de entrada en vigor: 9/1/2026

Política

Rhinomanometry, acoustic rhinometry, and optical rhinometry are considered investigational. Actualmente no hay evidencia suficiente para llegar a una conclusión general sobre los resultados o beneficios para la salud asociados con estos procedimientos.

Referencias cruzadas:

• MP 1.128 Surgical Treatment of Sleep Apnea and Snoring
• MP 2.045 Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Variaciones del producto

Esta política solo se aplica a ciertos programas y productos administrados por Capital Blue Cross y está sujeta a variaciones en los beneficios. Consulte la información adicional a continuación.

FEP PPO - Consulte el Manual de Políticas Médicas del FEP. The FEP Medical Policy manual can be found at:

FEP Medical Policy Manual.

Descripción/Antecedentes

Rhinomanometry, acoustic rhinometry, and optical rhinometry are techniques to objectively measure nasal patency. Several clinical applications are proposed including allergy testing, evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea, and patient assessment prior to nasal surgery.

Nasal patency is a complex clinical issue that can involve mucosal, structural and psychological factors. The perception of nasal obstruction is subjective and does not always correlate with clinical examination of the nasal cavity, making it difficult to determine which therapy might be most likely to restore satisfactory nasal breathing. Therefore, procedures that objectively measure nasal patency have been sought. Discussion of 3 techniques that could potentially be useful in measuring nasal patency follows.

Rhinomanometry is a test of nasal function that measures air pressure and the rate of airflow in the nasal airway during respiration. These findings are used to calculate nasal airway resistance. Rhinomanometry is intended to be an objective quantification of nasal airway patency.

Acoustic rhinometry is a technique intended for assessment of the geometry of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx and for evaluating nasal obstruction. The technique is based on an analysis of sound waves reflected from the nasal cavities.

Optical rhinometry uses an emitter and a detector placed at opposite sides of the nose and can detect relative changes in nasal congestion by the change in transmitted light. This technique is based on the absorption of red/near-infrared light by hemoglobin and the endonasal swelling-associated increase in local blood volume.

Acoustic Rhinometer

The Eccovision® Acoustic Rhinometer (Sleep Group Solutions) also uses acoustic reflection technology and measures nasal patency and maps out the topography of the nasal airway identifying the location and severity of airway obstruction. The test is completed with the patient awake and seated during the exam which takes 30 seconds to complete.

Fundamento

Resumen

Overall, the scientific evidence does not permit conclusions about the effect of rhinomanometry, acoustic rhinometry or optical rhinometry on net health outcome. To date, there is inadequate evidence from published studies evaluating the clinical utility of these tests. That is, additional well-designed studies are needed to prospectively compare patient outcomes with and without the use of one or more of these tests to determine the utility and effectiveness for clinical conditions. Therefore, the technologies are considered investigational.

Definiciones

Acoustic Reflection technology is based on the analysis of sound waves that are launched from a loudspeaker and travel along a wave tube into the subject’s airways where they are reflected. Measurement of differences in the reflected wave signals enables a graphic representation of the variations in pharyngeal cross-sectional area at several anatomic levels.

Acoustic Rhinometry is a non-invasive technique using acoustic reflection to study nasal physiology. It may be used to evaluate the nasal cavity to aid in the identification of fixed lesions such as septal deviations or alterations in cross-sectional area induced by allergens or drugs.

Exención de responsabilidad

Las políticas médicas de Capital Blue Cross se utilizan para determinar la cobertura de tecnologías, procedimientos, equipos y servicios médicos específicos. Estas políticas médicas no constituyen un consejo médico y están sujetas a cambios según lo permita la ley o la evidencia clínica aplicable de las pautas de tratamiento independientes. Los proveedores que brindan tratamiento son individualmente responsables de los consejos médicos y el tratamiento de los miembros. Estas políticas no son una garantía de cobertura o pago. El pago de las reclamaciones está sujeto a la determinación del programa de beneficios del miembro y la elegibilidad en la fecha del servicio, y a la determinación de que los servicios son médicamente necesarios y apropiados. El procesamiento final de una reclamación se basa en los términos del contrato que se aplican al programa de beneficios del miembro, incluidas las limitaciones y exclusiones de beneficios. Si un proveedor o miembro tiene alguna pregunta sobre esta política médica, debe comunicarse con Servicios para proveedores o Servicios para miembros de Capital Blue Cross.

Información de codificación

Nota: esta lista de códigos puede no ser exhaustiva y los códigos están sujetos a cambios en cualquier momento. La identificación de un código en esta sección no denota cobertura, ya que la cobertura está determinada por los términos de la información de beneficios del miembro. Además, no todos los servicios cubiertos son elegibles para un reembolso por separado.

Bajo investigación; por lo tanto, no se cubre:

Referencias

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2. Aziz T, Biron VL, Ansari K, et al. Measurement tools for the diagnosis of nasal septal deviation: a systematic review. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014 Apr 24;43(1):1-11. PMID: 24762010
3. Bhattacharyya, N. Nasal obstruction: diagnosis and management. In: UpToDate Online Journal [serial online]. Waltham, MA: UpToDate; actualizado el 28 de agosto de 2025.
4. Canakcioglu S, Tahamiler R, Saritzali G et al. Nasal patency by rhinomanometry in patients with sensation of nasal obstruction. Am J Rhinol Allergy 2009; 23(3):300-2.
5. Castellanos MFI, Silva HJD, Moura SRC, et al. The use of rhinomanometry in mouth breathing: A systematic review of the literature. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2024 Mar 27;28(4):e720-e727. PMID: 39464364
6. Ceroni Compadetti G, Tasca I, Alessandri-Bonetti G et al. Acoustic rhinometric measurements in children undergoing rapid maxillary expansion. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2005; 70(1):27-34.
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11. Gagnieur P, Fieux M, Louis B, et al. Objective diagnosis of internal nasal valve collapse by four-phase rhinomanometry. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2022 Mar 22;7(2):388-394. PMID: 35434327
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18. National Center on Sleep Disorders Research.
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24. Sunnaker O, Ahonen H, Holmström M, et al. Active anterior rhinomanometry: A study on nasal airway resistance, paradoxical reactions to decongestion, and repeatability in healthy subjects. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2023 Sep 29;8(5):1136-1145. PMID: 37899860
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