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Topic

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Hyoid bone

The hyoid bone is a U-shaped, midline bone located in the anterior neck at the level of C3 vertebra, suspended between the mandible and the thyroid cartilage. Unlike other bones, it does not articulate directly with any other skeletal structure, being anchored by muscles and ligaments. It consists of a central body and paired greater and lesser cornua, which serve as attachment points for multiple suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles, as well as ligaments that stabilize the larynx and tongue. The hyoid plays a key role in swallowing, speech, and airway maintenance, and its position can vary slightly with neck posture or age.

Synonyms

  • Lingual bone

  • Body of hyoid

  • Hyoid apparatus (in some anatomical texts)

Function

  • Provides attachment for suprahyoid muscles, supporting tongue and floor of mouth movement

  • Serves as an anchor for infrahyoid muscles, contributing to laryngeal depression during swallowing and speech

  • Maintains airway patency by stabilizing the larynx

  • Supports coordinated function of the pharynx, tongue, and larynx

MRI Appearance
T1-weighted images:

  • The hyoid bone appears as a linear hypointense structure in the anterior neck

  • Surrounding soft tissue and fat appear hyperintense, offering contrast to the bony margins

  • Bone marrow within the hyoid body may show intermediate signal, particularly in younger individuals

  • Pathologies such as fractures, neoplasms, or osteomyelitis disrupt the normal hypointense signal

T2-weighted images:

  • The hyoid bone remains hypointense, with surrounding soft tissues and fat appearing hyperintense

  • Bone marrow edema, inflammation, or tumors appear hyperintense relative to normal bone

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Fat suppression highlights bone marrow or soft tissue pathology

  • Normal hyoid remains hypointense, while edema, fractures, or neoplastic changes appear bright hyperintense

CT Appearance

  • The hyoid bone appears as a well-corticated, hyperdense U-shaped bone

  • The body and greater/lesser cornua are clearly delineated

  • Air in the adjacent pharyngeal and laryngeal lumen appears hypodense, providing natural contrast

  • CT is ideal for detecting fractures, congenital anomalies, calcifications, or tumors

  • Axial, coronal, and sagittal reconstructions allow precise evaluation of alignment, angulation, and relation to surrounding soft tissues

MRI images

Hyoid bone mri axial image -img-00000-00000

CT VRT 3D image

Hyoid bone 3d image

CT image

Hyoid bone anatomy Location and Imaging Appearance -img-00000-00000