What is the nasopharynx? Where is it located?

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Multiple Choice

What is the nasopharynx? Where is it located?

The nasopharynx is the upper part of the pharynx that acts as the airway behind the nasal cavity. It extends from the internal nares down to the level of the soft palate, sitting posterior to the nasal choanae and above the soft palate. It also contains the openings of the auditory (pharyngotympanic) tubes on its lateral walls and houses the pharyngeal tonsils. This placement—superior portion of the pharynx, located behind the internal nares and above the soft palate—is what defines the nasopharynx. The other descriptions refer to other parts of the pharynx: the lower portion behind the esophagus is the inferior region, the middle portion behind the tongue is the oropharynx, and the portion behind the larynx is the laryngopharynx.

The nasopharynx is the upper part of the pharynx that acts as the airway behind the nasal cavity. It extends from the internal nares down to the level of the soft palate, sitting posterior to the nasal choanae and above the soft palate. It also contains the openings of the auditory (pharyngotympanic) tubes on its lateral walls and houses the pharyngeal tonsils. This placement—superior portion of the pharynx, located behind the internal nares and above the soft palate—is what defines the nasopharynx. The other descriptions refer to other parts of the pharynx: the lower portion behind the esophagus is the inferior region, the middle portion behind the tongue is the oropharynx, and the portion behind the larynx is the laryngopharynx.

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