Inferior to the cricoid cartilage, the upper cartilage of the larynx can sometimes be palpated above the level of the isthmus of the thyroid gland that crosses the trachea anteriorly.
The landmarks used for finding the cricothyroid ligament are similar in men and women; however, because the laminae of the thyroid cartilage meet at a more acute angle in men, the structures are more prominent in men than in women.
How to find the thyroid gland