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Where does the thyroid gland sit?
AAnterior to the trachea, inferior to the larynx
BPosterior to the trachea, superior to the larynx
CAnterior to the sternum, inferior to the clavicle
DPosterior to the pharynx, superior to the trachea
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. Anterior to the trachea, inferior to the larynx
1. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ in the neck that wraps around the trachea.
2. It lies anterior to the trachea and just inferior to the larynx.
3. Its central isthmus is flanked by wing-shaped left and right lobes.
4. The parathyroid glands are embedded mostly on the posterior surfaces of those lobes, which is why the thyroid itself is the anterior structure.
_Source: OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology (CC BY 4.0), Ch 17 "The Endocrine System", section 17.4 The Thyroid Gland_
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