Where are the parathyroid glands located?

• A. Chest
• B. Neck
• C. Abdomen
• D. Brain

Answer: (B)

Parathyroid glands are tiny glands that help regulate calcium levels in the blood, and their usual home is in the neck. They sit on the back surface of the thyroid gland, typically forming a small cluster near its inferior and superior poles. That location in the neck is why this answer is correct—the parathyroids are not normally found in the chest, abdomen, or brain. (Rarely, they can be located in ectopic spots outside the neck, but the standard anatomy places them in the neck.)