Normal configuration of the anterior commissure of the glottis on magneticresonance imaging

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the normal width of the anterior commissure of the glottis by measuring its dimensions in patients who had n o laryngeal disease on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but had unrelated cervical pathology. In all, 27 patients were studied. Axial images through the arytenoid commissure at the level of the vocalis muscle and/or vocal pr ocess of the arytenoid cartilage were magnified on MRI. The anteroposterior width of the anterior commissure was measured by using an electronic ruler having 1-mm marks. The average width of the anterior commissure was 1.59 /- 0.6 mm, varying from a minimum width of 1 mm to a maximum width of 3 mm. The width was less than or equal to 2 mm in 25 patients (92.5%). Our resul ts showed that all of the patients studied had measurable mucosal thickness es at the level of anterior commissure greater than or equal to 1.0 mm.