Optimal visualization of the nasopharyngeal airway.
Two sequential nasopharyngeal radiographs (the initial image with the mouth open and the second image with the mouth closed) of 100 randomly selected patients were obtained. Based on this series and a fluoroscopic study of two adult volunteers, the authors conclude that optimal visualization of the nasopharyngeal airway is achieved when the film is exposed during the latter phase of inspiration with the patient's mouth closed.
D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography