The tailored double-contrast pharyngogram

Abstract

When high-density barium coats the intrinsically smooth squamous mucosa of the pharynx, many nodules are seen at the base of the tongue and valleculae and many longitudinally oriented lines are seen in the lateral and posterior pharyngeal walls. This normal radiographic appearance reflects the lymphoid tissue and longitudinal muscle layer which intimately underlie the squamous mucosa. This paper discusses the gross and microscopic anatomy pertinent to interpretation of double-contrast films of the pharynx. The techniques for achieving a high-quality double-contrast examination of the pharynx are presented.