Re-writing the laryngeal anatomy

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Radiology
• Anthropology

Background:

• The larynx exhibits notable sex-related anatomical variations.
• Previous studies often focused on isolated laryngeal features, limiting comprehensive understanding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively analyze in vivo laryngeal dimensions using computed tomography (CT).
• To establish reference values for laryngeal parameters and clarify their relationships with sex and age.
• To investigate sexual dimorphism in laryngeal morphology.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 157 neck CT scans (67 males, 90 females).
• Morphometric measurements included laryngeal length, cartilaginous dimensions, epiglottic measurements, and pre-epiglottic space volume.
• Statistical analysis using Mann-Whitney U tests for sex and age differences.

Main Results:

• Significant sex-related differences observed in most laryngeal parameters, especially epiglottic length, laryngeal length, thyroid angle, and thyroid lamina height.
• Epiglottic length was the strongest predictor of total laryngeal length (R² = 0.74).
• Age had minimal effects, with slight decrease in epiglottic angle and influence on pre-epiglottic space volume.

Conclusions:

• This study provides comprehensive in vivo data on laryngeal dimensions, establishing reference values.
• Findings confirm significant sexual dimorphism in laryngeal morphology.
• The data serve as a valuable resource for clinical and anatomical studies.