The cricothyroid membrane is located between which cartilages?

• A. The thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage
• B. The hyoid and thyroid cartilage
• C. The cricoid cartilage and the trachea
• D. The epiglottis and arytenoids

Answer: (A)

The cricothyroid membrane sits in the cricothyroid space, connecting the inferior border of the thyroid cartilage to the superior border of the cricoid cartilage. This places it exactly between those two cartilages in front of the larynx.

That location matters clinically because it provides a relatively superficial, midline access point for emergency airway procedures (cricothyrotomy). The other pairings involve different regions: higher up between the hyoid and thyroid, lower between the cricoid and trachea, or within the larynx between internal structures like the epiglottis and arytenoids.