Various changes in the human laryngeal cartilages have been studied by the naked eye, radiology, and histology in 28 dissecting room and 20 autopsy specimens (21 male and 27 female) ranging from 14 to 101 years. Except for one 14-and one 20-year-old specimen, radiographic signs of calcification occurred in all and were found in hyaline cartilaginous tissue of the thyroid, cricoid, arytenoid, and the variably occurring triticiate cartilages. A series of stages has been established indicating the pattern of spread of the process in the thyroid cricoid and arytenoid cartilages. Minor differences between the sexes were found in the thyroid and the cricoid, and some correlation was noted between sites of calcification with sites of muscle attachment and sites of greatest mass. The degree of involvement was not, however, found to be a reliable index of age, with wide variations occurring between individuals. Histology showed various degenerative processes, including calcification, but also revealed the occurrence of actual ossification even in some younger specimens. However, some foci of cartilage always persisted even when ossification was well advanced. Naked eye examination detected regions within the cartilages where ossification was well established, dark areas being produced by the presence of marrow. The remaining tissue was found histologically to be composed of cartilage, which might be calcified or might even contain small foci of bone. Radiology was an accurate method for detection of calcification and ossification, which were sometimes distinguishable, larger masses of calcified cartilage having a dense uniform radiographic appearance unlike the trabecular pattern of bone.
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