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Arytenoid cartilage

The arytenoid cartilages are paired, pyramid-shaped cartilages located in the posterior larynx, sitting on the superior border of the cricoid cartilage. Each arytenoid cartilage has a vocal process for attachment of the vocal ligament and a muscular process for laryngeal muscle attachment, allowing movement of the vocal folds. They play a crucial role in voice production and airway protection by controlling vocal fold tension and opening the rima glottidis during respiration. The arytenoids are composed of hyaline cartilage, ossifying partially with age, and are enveloped by connective tissue and mucosa.

Synonyms

  • Paired laryngeal cartilages

  • Posterior vocal fold cartilages

  • Arytenoid laryngeal pyramids

Function

  • Anchor the vocal ligaments for phonation

  • Serve as attachment points for laryngeal muscles controlling vocal fold movement

  • Enable abduction and adduction of vocal folds for breathing, speaking, and airway protection

  • Contribute to airway patency and laryngeal resonance

MRI Appearance
T1-weighted images:

  • Arytenoid cartilages appear as low to intermediate signal intensity structures relative to surrounding soft tissue

  • Partially ossified portions may appear hyperintense in adults

  • Surrounded by hyperintense fat in the paralaryngeal spaces, providing contrast

  • Edema or tumors may disrupt the normal low-signal continuity

T2-weighted images:

  • Cartilage is generally low signal, while surrounding soft tissue and edema appear hyperintense

  • Useful for detecting inflammation, joint pathology, or neoplastic involvement

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Fat suppression allows better visualization of edema or soft tissue pathology

  • Normal arytenoid cartilage remains low signal, while inflammatory changes, tumors, or trauma appear hyperintense

CT Appearance

  • Arytenoid cartilages appear as intermediate to hyperdense structures, with ossified regions more hyperdense

  • Air within the laryngeal vestibule and rima glottidis appears hypodense (black), creating contrast with the cartilage

  • Axial, coronal, and sagittal views clearly demonstrate position, size, ossification, and any structural abnormalities

  • CT is particularly useful for assessing ossification, fractures, joint dislocation, and tumor invasion

MRI images

Arytenoid cartilage mri axial image -img-00000-00000