{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T19:29:20Z","timestamp":1787858960034,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,28]],"date-time":"2026-02-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772236800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"\u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: The human larynx exhibits marked sexual dimorphism and undergoes age-related structural remodeling, both of which influence voice characteristics and have important implications for diagnostic assessment. While sex-related differences in laryngeal size are well recognized, the extent to which aging contributes to dimensional versus qualitative structural changes remains incompletely defined. This study aimed to analyze sex- and age-related morphometric and histological characteristics of the human larynx, with a focus on features relevant to voice evaluation and diagnostic interpretation. Methods: A cross-sectional anatomical study was conducted on 80 cadaveric human larynges preserved in 10% buffered formalin. Specimens were stratified by sex and age (&lt;30, 30\u201360, and \u226560 years). Direct morphometric measurements included anteroposterior laryngeal length, thyroid cartilage height, thyroid angle, and relative glottic area. Epiglottic morphology and the presence of laryngeal cartilage calcification\/ossification (binary classification: present vs. absent) were recorded. Histological analysis of vocal fold tissue was performed on a stratified subset of specimens. Statistical analysis included t-tests, chi-square tests, two-way ANOVA, effect size estimation, and logistic regression. Results: Male specimens showed significantly greater anteroposterior length, thyroid cartilage height, and relative glottic area, along with a narrower thyroid angle, compared with females (all p &lt; 0.001), with large effect sizes. Age did not significantly influence overall laryngeal dimensions. In contrast, cartilage calcification\/ossification increased markedly after the age of 60. Logistic regression identified age \u2265 60 years as the only independent predictor of calcification (OR = 4.37, p = 0.039), while sex was not significant. Epiglottic morphology demonstrated a sex-dependent distribution. Histology revealed age-related muscle atrophy and reduced collagen and elastin density. Conclusions: Sex defines the baseline morphometric framework of the adult larynx, whereas aging, particularly beyond 60 years, drives qualitative structural degeneration. These findings provide a reproducible anatomical reference for distinguishing sex-related variation from age-related changes in diagnostic assessment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics16050725","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]],"date-time":"2026-03-03T15:22:21Z","timestamp":1772551341000},"page":"725","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Sexual Dimorphism and Age-Related Structural Changes in the Human Larynx: A Morphometric Study with Histological Correlates Relevant to Voice and Diagnostic Assessment"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Alina","family":"Anglitoiu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of ENT, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6185-0960","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ahmed","family":"Abu-Awwad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department XV-Discipline of Orthopedics-Traumatology, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"Research Center University Professor Doctor Teodor \u0218ora, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bogdan","family":"Anglitoiu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department XV-Discipline of Orthopedics-Traumatology, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniela","family":"Gurgus","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Balneology, Medical Recovery and Rheumatology, Family Discipline, Center for Preventive Medicine, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Pop","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department XV-Discipline of Orthopedics-Traumatology, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anca Mihaela","family":"Bina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"Centre for Translational Research and Systems Medicine, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zoran Laurentiu","family":"Popa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"Centre for Translational Research and Systems Medicine, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mihai Alexandru","family":"Sandesc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department XV-Discipline of Orthopedics-Traumatology, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"Research Center University Professor Doctor Teodor \u0218ora, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-6793-5361","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Simona-Alina","family":"Abu-Awwad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, \u201cPius Brinzeu\u201d County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Saran, M., Georgakopoulos, B., and Bordoni, B. 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