Detection of an early ossification of thyroid cartilage in an adolescent on a lateral cephalometric radiograph.

We report ossification of the thyroid cartilage detected on a routine lateral cephalometric film and discuss the clinical implications of this finding. The thyroid cartilage is a part of the laryngeal cartilaginous complex and may undergo calcification or endochondral ossification (or both), thereby becoming visible radiographically. Usually, ossification is visible only in individuals over the age of 20 years. It is unusual to see ossification in children or adolescents. We report here a case of thyroid ossification in a 14-year-old patient that is visible on a routine lateral cephalometric radiograph. An incidental limbus vertebra is also noticed situated anteroinferior to the fourth cervical vertebra.