Arytenoid cartilage

Last revised by Tariq Walizai on 8 Oct 2024

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Spencer T, Walizai T, Hacking C, et al. Arytenoid cartilage. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 07 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-44577

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-44577

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/44577

rID:

44577

Article created:

28 Apr 2016, Tom Spencer

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Tom Spencer had no recorded disclosures.

View Tom Spencer's current disclosures

Last revised:

8 Oct 2024, Tariq Walizai

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Tariq Walizai had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Tariq Walizai's current disclosures

Revisions:

13 times, by 10 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Head & Neck

Sections:

Anatomy

Tags:

anatomy, head and, larynx, arytenoid cartilage, craig

Synonyms:

Arytenoid cartilage

The arytenoid cartilages are paired hyaline cartilages that articulate with the sloping upper border of the lamina of the cricoid cartilage via the synovial cricoarytenoid joint. This joint allows movement of the arytenoid cartilages, which is vital in approximating, tensing and relaxing the vocal folds. They are 2 of the 9 laryngeal cartilages.

vocal process: forward projection that attaches to the vocal fold
muscular process: lateral projection attaches to the posterior and lateral cricoarytenoid muscles
superior process: superior projection articulates with the very small corniculate cartilage, to which the aryepiglottic fold is attached

Slightly anteriorly to the arytenoid cartilages sit the paired cuneiform cartilages, which lie within the aryepiglottic fold.

History and etymology

The word 'arytenoid' derives from the greek word meaning ladle-shaped.

Practical points

Sclerosis of the arytenoid cartilages is often a normal variant in asymptomatic subjects on CT scan, especially when found on the left side in females and when involving the body instead of the vocal process ⁴. As such, it should not be mistaken for tumor invasion (squamous cell carcinoma), although it wouldn't upstage the lesion according to the staging system.