title: Age-dependent structural and radiological changes in the larynx.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To define radiological physiological changes in the larynx by establishing an age-related scale.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present retrospective study used radiological records of patients that had undergone lateral cervical imaging. Three hundred patients were included. Thyroid cartilage was divided into anatomical regions. The hyoid bone was evaluated as the body and greater horns. Cases were compared by grouping by age and gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thyroid tissue and cricoid cartilage only became visible after the second decade. Ossification in the thyroid cartilage began in the posterior inferior horn and progressed to the superior horn and central lamina. It also began in the posterior part of the cricoid cartilage and moved forward with age. In the first decade, the body and greater horn parts of the hyoid bone could be seen more distinctly, and after the third decade the hyoid bone appeared as a single bone. The hyoid bone was the only structure ossified in the laryngeal region below the age of 20 and formed an image on direct imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age-related changes to the laryngeal tissues are evident on radiographs. Clinicians should bear this in mind when evaluating neck radiographs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey. drsuhaturkmen@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Süha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Türkmen
authors.forename: Aysegül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cansu
authors.forename: Süleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Türedi
authors.forename: Umut
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Eryigit
authors.forename: Aynur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Abdulkadir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gündüz
authors.forename: Itai
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shavit
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007830:Larynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010012:Osteogenesis; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D055815:Young Adult