The soft-tissue neck radiograph can be an extremely useful tool in a variety of clinical situations. These include: epiglottitis, croup, retropharyngeal abscesses, and localization of airway foreign bodies. 

However, like any diagnostic tool, the soft tissue neck x-ray’s usefulness depends on knowledge of the relevant anatomy — particularly the normal size and appearance of various airway structures — as well as a systematic approach to each radiograph. We will discuss both the anatomy and radiographic approach in this blog post.