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Topic

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Greater horn of hyoid bone

The greater horn (cornu) of the hyoid bone is a paired, elongated bony projection extending posterolaterally from the body of the hyoid bone. Each greater horn is thin, slightly curved, and provides attachment for muscles and ligaments that stabilize the hyoid and support laryngeal and tongue movements. It lies in close proximity to the thyrohyoid membrane, pharyngeal wall, and carotid sheath structures, making it an important landmark in neck imaging. The greater horns vary in length and angulation among individuals and play a key role in maintaining airway patency, swallowing mechanics, and neck skeletal integrity.

Synonyms

  • Greater cornu of hyoid

  • Lateral projection of hyoid bone

  • Hyoid greater horn

Function

  • Serves as an attachment site for infrahyoid and suprahyoid muscles (e.g., middle constrictor, hyoglossus, thyrohyoid)

  • Provides structural support to the larynx and tongue base

  • Maintains stability of the hyoid bone during swallowing, phonation, and respiration

  • Acts as a skeletal landmark in neck surgery and radiologic assessment

MRI Appearance
T1-weighted images:

  • The greater horn appears as a linear hypointense structure extending laterally from the hyoid body

  • Surrounded by intermediate- to hyperintense soft tissue and fat, which delineates the horn clearly

  • Bone marrow signal may appear slightly hyperintense in younger individuals

  • Fractures or pathological lesions appear as disruption of normal hypointense continuity

T2-weighted images:

  • Greater horn remains hypointense, while adjacent muscles and soft tissue show intermediate to hyperintense signal

  • Fluid, edema, or inflammatory changes appear hyperintense, highlighting pathology

  • Useful for detecting contusions, infection, or post-traumatic changes

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Fat suppression removes high signal from surrounding fat, emphasizing bone marrow edema or soft tissue pathology

  • Normal horn remains low signal; fractures, infection, or neoplasms appear bright hyperintense

CT Appearance

  • The greater horn appears as a hyperdense bony projection extending from the hyoid body

  • Clearly visualized in axial, coronal, and sagittal planes, allowing precise assessment of fractures, deformities, or ossification variations

  • Surrounding air of the pharynx and oropharynx appears hypodense (black), providing natural contrast

  • Cortical and trabecular bone details are clearly visible, making CT ideal for trauma evaluation and preoperative planning

MRI images

Greater horn of hyoid bone mri sag image -img-00000-00000