This lateral view X-ray of the nasopharynx provides a profile look at the upper airway, skull base, and surrounding facial structures. By utilizing grayscale variations, the image highlights the relationship between hard bone and the soft tissue air passages.

The central focus of this scan is the nasopharyngeal airway, which appears as a distinct, dark vertical channel running behind the nasal cavity and above the soft palate. Because air does not absorb radiation, this open pathway shows up dark, allowing clinicians to evaluate its patency and check for any narrowing.

Directly behind this dark channel lies the prevertebral soft tissue space, which rests against the front of the cervical spine. The individual cervical vertebrae are stacked vertically on the left side of the image, showing distinct bone margins and clear intervertebral spaces. Above the airway, the thick, bright white base of the skull provides a solid upper boundary.

To the right, the structures of the midface and jaw are highly visible. The hard palate forms a sharp, horizontal white line that separates the nasal cavity from the mouth. Below it, the mandible (lower jaw) and maxilla (upper jaw) house well-defined teeth, with dense enamel and root patterns standing out clearly. In the soft tissue spaces adjacent to the airway, subtle gray shading outlines the contours of the tongue and the back of the throat. A simulated orientation marker ("L") and timestamp are positioned in the top right corner.