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Lamina of thyroid cartilage

The lamina of the thyroid cartilage is one of the two quadrilateral plates that form the lateral walls of the thyroid cartilage, the largest cartilage of the larynx. These laminae fuse anteriorly at the thyroid angle, creating the prominent laryngeal prominence (“Adam’s apple”), and remain separated posteriorly, providing attachment points for the arytenoid cartilages and vocal ligaments. Each lamina has superior and inferior cornua: the superior cornua articulate with the hyoid bone via the thyrohyoid membrane, and the inferior cornua articulate with the cricoid cartilage, forming the cricothyroid joint. The lamina provides structural support to the laryngeal framework, protects the vocal folds and airway, and serves as an attachment site for intrinsic and extrinsic laryngeal muscles.

Synonyms

  • Thyroid cartilage plate

  • Lateral thyroid lamina

  • Laryngeal lamina

Function

  • Protects the vocal folds and airway

  • Provides attachment for intrinsic laryngeal muscles (e.g., thyroarytenoid, cricothyroid)

  • Contributes to phonation and modulation of pitch by stabilizing vocal fold tension

  • Supports laryngeal structure and connects with cricoid and hyoid bones via cornua

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • The lamina appears as a linear, low-to-intermediate signal structure, reflecting its cartilaginous composition

  • Surrounded by hyperintense paralaryngeal fat, which helps delineate its margins

  • Air within the laryngeal lumen appears as signal void (black), sharply outlining the lamina anteriorly and laterally

  • Calcified lamina may appear hyperintense depending on the degree of ossification

T2-weighted images:

  • Cartilage appears intermediate signal, slightly higher than muscle but lower than fat

  • Adjacent air remains signal void, providing contrast to the lamina

  • Useful for identifying edema, inflammatory changes, or cartilage abnormalities

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Fat suppression removes surrounding fat signal, enhancing visualization of cartilage pathology

  • Normal lamina remains low signal, while areas of inflammation, edema, or tumor appear hyperintense

  • Especially useful for detecting early inflammatory changes or subtle cartilage lesions

CT Appearance

  • Lamina of the thyroid cartilage appears as well-defined, soft tissue–density or partially ossified bony structure depending on age

  • Air within the laryngeal vestibule and glottis appears hypodense (black), providing excellent contrast

  • Superior and inferior cornua, as well as the thyroid angle, are clearly visualized

  • CT is ideal for evaluating ossification, fractures, laryngeal tumors, and structural variations

  • Can distinguish cartilage from surrounding soft tissue and paralaryngeal fat, providing precise anatomical landmarks

MRI images

Lamina of thyroid cartilage mri axial image -img-00000-00000