title: CT appearance of lunate trachea.
abstract: Computed tomography provides excellent visualization of the trachea, but there have been only limited descriptions of variations in tracheal shape. The normal tracheal cartilage is U shaped. Lunate shaped trachea is uncommon and is characterized by a coronal/sagittal diameter ratio (tracheal index) greater than 1. We present the CT appearance of a lunate shaped trachea with corresponding pathologic sections. Destruction of the membranous septum caused marked increase in the tracheal index in this patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lomasney
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bergin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lomasney
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Roggli
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology