Adult ; Aged ; Cartilage Diseases ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Laryngeal Cartilages ; Laryngeal Diseases ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged

The thyroid cartilage is located just below the hyoid bone and is the biggest cartilage in laryngeal cartilage. The purpose of this study is to identify the sex based on the morphological analysis of the thyroid cartilage of Koreans. This study was carried out on the thyroid cartilage of 109 specimens of adult subjects (age over twenty years old) including 69 males and 40 females. We measured 27 measurements, followed by the statistic procedures. The results were as followed ; 1. Male subjects exhibited larger values of width, height and length of the thyroid cartilage and height of lamina than female subjects (p < 0.01). 2. Female subjects exhibited larger values of angle of lamina, angle of inferior horn and angle of upper margin of lamina than male subjects (p < 0.01). 3. Discriminant functions were obtained with the measurement values of length of the thyroid cartilage and height of lamina. In conclusion, the thyroid cartilage in Korean is different depending on sexes. Therefore we can identify the sex for over twenty years old Koreans by the morphometric analysis of the thyroid cartilage.
Adult ; Animals ; Cartilage ; Female ; Horns ; Humans ; Hyoid Bone ; Laryngeal Cartilages ; Male ; Thyroid Cartilage* ; Thyroid Gland*

The thyroid cartilage, which is the biggest cartilage in laryngeal cartilages, undergoes the osseous changes with advancing age and the process is ordinary endochondral ossification. With respect to the spread pattern of ossification, there are several reports but study about the Korean is negligible. The purpose of this study is to estimate the age based on radiographic analysis of the Korean thyroid cartilage. Dedicated mammography was carried out on 124 specimens of the thyroid cartilage including 76 males and 48 females. We measured 14 qualitative measurements. The results were as followed ; The Ratio of radio-opacity exhibited increasing value with advancing age on both sexes. The ossification began at the posterior border and involved orderly the inferior border, the anterior angle (anterior border) and notch as advancing age in male subjects. We could propose the pattern of ossification for age-estimation in Korean male subjects. Concerning the female subjects, we could not propose the relation between age and the pattern of ossification. In conclusion, we can estimate the age for male subjects by radiographic quantitative analysis of the Korean thyroid cartilage.
Cartilage ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Cartilages ; Male ; Mammography ; Thyroid Cartilage* ; Thyroid Gland*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cancer invasion of the laryngeal cartilage is mainly found in the ossified portion of cartilage and contraindication for conservation surgery of laryngopharyngeal cancer. Thus, it is an important factor to consider in planning the management of laryngopharyngeal cancer. Computed tomographic (CT) scan is an useful tool for the evaluation of laryngopharyngeal cancer, but it is difficult to distinguish cancer invasion from non-ossified cartilage regions by the CT scan. Knowledge of the precise ossification pattern will be useful to determine the cancer invasion of laryngeal cartilage. The purposes of this study include ossi6cation pattern according to age, symmetry of ossification and incidence of bone marrow formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three cases of normal laryngeal CT scans which were reviewed by two radiologists. They were all males, ranging in the ages from 40 to 69 (mean age 53). Ossification degree (%) was measured from the inferior cornu in the thyroid cartilage and the superior border of the posterior lamina in the cricoid cartilage. Age relation and symmetry of ossification and incidence of bone marrow formation were evaluated. RESULTS: There were no correlation between age and degree of laryngeal cartilage ossification (p> 0.05). But there was symmetry and definite pattern of ossification. Symmetry of ossification was 84.9% in the thyroid cartilage. Incidence of bone marrow formation was 60.6% in the thyroid cartilage and 82.8% in the cricoid cartilage. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that there is no ossification-age relationship, but the symmetry and the definite pattern of ossification in the laryngeal cartilage are useful clues in determining the cancer invasion on CT scan.
Bone Marrow ; Cartilage ; Cricoid Cartilage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Laryngeal Cartilages* ; Male ; Thyroid Cartilage ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

Ultrasonography has increasingly moved from being a modality confined to the radiology department to an active diagnostic and therapeutic aid available to the head and neck at the point of patient care. However, the application of ultrasonography to the laryngeal disorder is very rare due to progressive age-related ossification of laryngeal cartilage and the presence of air in the lumen, which contribute to difficult conditions for transmission of the ultrasonic waves. The observation about the movements of larynx or surrounding structures is important to understand the physiology of phonation or swallowing and to diagnose the disease. Ultrasonography is a noninvasive and safe imaging technique that can be used to investigate the anatomic structures of the head and neck. Recently, the development of high-frequency ultrasonography makes it possible to apply the ultrasound in the evaluation of larynx.
Deglutition ; Diagnosis ; Head ; Laryngeal Cartilages ; Larynx ; Neck ; Patient Care ; Phonation ; Physiology ; Ultrasonic Waves ; Ultrasonography

Humans ; Laryngeal Cartilages ; pathology ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; diagnosis ; Radiation Injuries ; diagnosis ; pathology

Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations ; etiology ; surgery ; Joints ; surgery ; Laryngeal Cartilages ; surgery ; Laryngoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

Laryngeal trauma is rare compared to other head and neck traumas, but it occurs, it can be life threatening. As for treatment, a laryngeal fracture that involves displacement of cartilage or extensive injury requires appropriate surgical treatments. For severe laryngeal fractures, conservative management is usually preferred with placing a stent to prevent laryngeal stenosis. But the downside of placing stents in the larynx includes the risk of granulation and infection. In this report, the authors describe a 35-year-old patient, who was diagnosed with blunt laryngeal trauma and treated by Horizontal partial laryngectomy. The patient's post-operative breathing and voice were fair, and airway stenosis did not occur afterwards.
Adult ; Cartilage ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Fractures, Cartilage ; Head ; Humans ; Laryngeal Cartilages ; Laryngectomy* ; Laryngostenosis ; Larynx ; Neck ; Respiration ; Stents ; Voice

Hanging is the most common method of suicide in Malaysia. However, hanging in combination with suicidal ligature strangulation is uncommon. The victim is a 31-year-old man, with no previous medical or psychiatric disorders. He accomplished self-strangulation using a shoelace and hanging himself with a High-Definition Multimedia Interface cable. Three loops of a shoelace ligature were present around the neck. A single knot was present on the front, and a double knot at the back of the neck. Internal examination of the neck revealed small bilateral hemorrhages of the sternocleidomastoid muscles. No laryngeal cartilage or hyoid bone fractures were observed. No other evidence of injury was noted other than moderate pulmonary edema. The post-mortem toxicology results were negative. The cause of death was ascertained as neck compression due to ligatures. Scene assessment and post-mortem findings concur with suicide. This report describes an unusual case of suicidal ligature strangulation, in combination with hanging using two different ligatures.
Adult ; Cause of Death ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyoid Bone ; Laryngeal Cartilages ; Ligation ; Malaysia ; Methods ; Multimedia ; Muscles ; Neck ; Pulmonary Edema ; Suicide ; Toxicology

PURPOSE: Detecting laryngeal cartilages (triticeous and thyroid cartilages) on panoramic radiographs is important because they may be confused with carotid artery calcifications in the bifurcation region, which are a risk factor for stroke. This study assessed the efficiency of panoramic radiography in the diagnosis of calcified laryngeal cartilages using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) as the reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 312 regions (142 bilateral, 10 left, 18 right) in 170 patients (140 males, 30 females) were examined. Panoramic radiographs were examined by an oral and maxillofacial radiologist with 11 years of experience. CBCT scans were reviewed by 2 other oral and maxillofacial radiologists. The kappa coefficient (κ) was calculated to determine the level of intra-observer agreement and to determine the level of agreement between the 2 methods. Diagnostic indicators (sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and false positive and false negative rates) were also calculated. P values < .05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: Eighty-two images were re-examined to determine the intra-observer agreement level, and the kappa coefficient was calculated as 0.709 (P < .05). Statistically significant and acceptable agreement was found between the panoramic and CBCT images (κ=0.684 and P < .05). The sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy rate, the false positive rate, and the false negative rate of the panoramic radiographs were 85.4%, 83.5%, 84.6%, 16.5%, and 14.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In most cases, calcified laryngeal cartilages could be diagnosed on panoramic radiographs. However, due to variation in the calcifications, diagnosis may be difficult.
Carotid Arteries ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Laryngeal Cartilages ; Male ; Radiography, Panoramic ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stroke ; Thyroid Gland