CT appearance of lunate trachea.
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.
Lomasney
L
L
Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
Bergin
C J
CJ
Lomasney
J
J
Roggli
V
V
Foster
W
W
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology