Normal anatomy of the false and true vocal cords on computed tomography. A, The false vocal cords (arrows), medial to the fat-containing paraglottic space, lie at the level of the foot processes (f) of the arytenoid cartilages. The superior thyroid notch (arrowhead) is noted anteriorly between the thyroid laminae. The thyroid cartilage is incompletely calcified, which is a normal variation that should not be mistaken for cartilage destruction. The jugular vein (J) and carotid artery (C) are also seen.

B, Four millimeters inferiorly, the true vocal cords (white arrow) are seen at the level of the vocal processes (arrowhead) of the arytenoid cartilages (A), located superolateral to the upper posterior border of the cricoid cartilage (Cr). Thyroid lamina join anteriorly to form the laryngeal prominence. The soft tissues at the anterior commissure (black arrow) are normally less than 2 mm in thickness.