The anatomic observation and measurement of the distance between the cricoid lamina and the body of cervical vertebrae: an imaging study

Objective: To measure the distance between the cricoid lamina and the body of cervical vertebrae and provide data for anthropologic study. Methods: The measurement of the distance between the cricoid lamina and the body of cervical vertebrae were taken on sixty adult median dissected cadavers' heads (males 30, females 30), and on the X-ray film of sixty (males 30, females 30) college students on lateral position. All data were statisticed by SPSS software. Results: The distance between the cricoid lamina and the body of cervical vertebrae was about 6.66±0.81mm, 5.57±0.93 mm and 7.70±1.02 mm in male and 5.74±0.37 mm, 4.64±0.61 mm and 6.71±0.76 mm in female on the superior, middle and inferior level of the cricoid lamina respectively for the cadaveric samples. It was about 7.34±1.12 mm, 6.28±1.16 mm, 8.32±1.00 mm in male and 6.78±1.01mm, 5.68±1.12 mm and 7.52±1.52 mm in female on X-ray films. There was sexual significance between male and female (t=2.07~5.64, P0.05). Conclusions: The minimum distance between the cricoid lamina and the body of cervical vertebrae locates on the middle level of the cricoid lamina.