Parathyroid glands are typically located posterior to which gland?

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Multiple Choice

Parathyroid glands are typically located posterior to which gland?

Parathyroid glands sit on the back surface of the thyroid gland in the neck. They are typically four small glands that lie posterior to the thyroid capsule, near its poles, and this posterior relationship is where they are most consistently found. The other structures listed are different glands or tissue in other regions of the head and neck, not the usual neighbor of the parathyroids. (Rarely, parathyroids can be ectopic, but the standard anatomy is behind the thyroid.)

Parathyroid glands sit on the back surface of the thyroid gland in the neck. They are typically four small glands that lie posterior to the thyroid capsule, near its poles, and this posterior relationship is where they are most consistently found. The other structures listed are different glands or tissue in other regions of the head and neck, not the usual neighbor of the parathyroids. (Rarely, parathyroids can be ectopic, but the standard anatomy is behind the thyroid.)

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