Radiology · single question
On a panoramic film an arrow points to a radiopaque structure inferior to the mandible in the midline. Which structure is it?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Hyoid bone
- A. CORRECT. The hyoid bone projects below the mandible near the midline on panoramic films.
- B. INCORRECT. The styloid process projects more posteriorly and laterally, not in the inferior midline.
- C. INCORRECT. Cervical vertebrae appear in the midline but more posteriorly and inferiorly as the spine.
- D. INCORRECT. The inferior border of the mandible is the jaw outline itself, not a separate opacity below it.