title: Quantitative Analysis of the Visor-Like Vertical Motion of the Cricoarytenoid Joint in the Living Subject.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The cricoarytenoid joint has a loose capsule and large cavity and may allow the arytenoid distanced from the cricoid cartilage. The objective was to quantify vertical motion of the arytenoid cartilage in the living subject.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Axial computed tomography images from 35 healthy subjects and seven patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis were collected at inspiration and phonation. The perpendicular distance from the arytenoid vocal process (VP) or muscular process (MP) to the cricoid plane was measured and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During phonation, the range of the vertical movement of the VP was significantly wider than that of the MP. The vertical motion varies in sides, sexes, and ages. The vertical gaps of the VP and MP between the paralyzed and contralateral sides were about 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms a visor-like downward vertical motion of the arytenoid cartilage during phonation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Department of Otolaryngology, Hefei Second People's Hospital, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China. Electronic address: liuyehai@ahmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yehai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: ming.zhang@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001193:Arytenoid Cartilage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001239:Inhalation; D007596:Joints / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010699:Phonation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: CT images; Cricoarytenoid joint; Quantitative analysis; Vertical motion; Vocal fold