Imaging appearance of a post-intubation cricoid chondronecrosis

Chondronecrosis is a known complication of external beam radiation therapy and endotracheal intubation. Radiation therapy is the most common cause of chondronecrosis owing to local cartilage ischaemia following treatment. Prolonged endotracheal intubation can lead to chondronecrosis as it is associated with excessive pressure on the cartilage by the endotracheal tube or its cuff. The cricoid ring is the most commonly affected cartilage. CT imaging is an integral part of the workup, although reports on imaging appearances are scant. We report the imaging and clinical presentation of a case of chondronecrosis secondary to the use of endotracheal tube ventilation. The patient was managed conservatively with good clinical outcome.