Background: The prominence of the Adam’s apple can cause dissatisfaction with physical appearance among transgender people. However, there seems to be no difference of the particular organ between Thai males and females.

Objective: To analyze variations between the genders in the interlaminar angle (IA) and the convex distance (CD) of the thyroid cartilage. Additionally, measurements from the thyroid cartilage’s most prominent point to the thyroepiglottic ligament’s attachment point as the Notchto-Epiglottis (NTE) were compared.

Materials and Methods: The present study was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Data were collected from patients that attended Rajavithi Hospital for neck computed tomography (CT) in the two-year period between 2019 and 2020. These patients were divided into two groups, one consisted of 100 males and the other of 100 females, all of whom were aged 18 to 60 years. The IA, CD, and the NTE of the two genders were analyzed.

Results: The IA was measured at 65.3±9.4° for males and 88.9°±11.3° for females. The CD was measured at 9.9±2.1 mm and 7.8±1.5 mm for males and females, respectively, while the NTE was measured at 7.4±1.2 mm and 6.1±1.1 mm, respectively. All of these differences between the genders were statistically significant (p<0.001). Previous neck radiation and thyroid disease did not affect differences in the IA, CD, or NTE.

Conclusion: Based on the population samples, it was observed that, in comparison to females, males exhibited a more acute IA, a notably larger CD, and a greater NTE measurement. Developing a comprehensive understanding of the thyroid notch can help to reduce the occurrence of complications in chondrolaryngoplasty.

Keywords: Protuberant thyroid notch; Thyroid cartilage

DOI: 10.35755/jmedassocthai.2024.3.13959

Received 7 November 2023 | Revised 27 February 2024 | Accepted 4 March 2024