The CT scans demonstrate a fractured hyoid bone, gas bubbles in an abscess producing mass effect, and narrowing of the airway.

This patient received a blow to the neck and noticed increased pain and difficulty swallowing. The hyoid bone is located between the mandible superiorly and the thyroid cartilage inferiorly. It is a “floating bone,” which is supported by strap muscles in the neck. In turn, it supports the root of the tongue, and allows for a wider range of motion, which may create a wider range of sounds.


http://eradiology.bidmc.harvard.edu/Classics/item.aspx?section=Emergency+Radiology&labelpk=33f0adab-853f-4010-a0e2-0756b3f1eac5&pk=0adfa76d-beed-4e18-82c6-ed963cb9eb3f