?:abstract
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Summary The upper respiratory tract (URT) consists of the nose with nasal passages and paranasal sinuses, the pharynx, and the larynx above the vocal cords Physiological functions of the URT include warming, filtering, and humidifying inspired air prior to contact with the more delicate mucus membranes of the caudal upper and lower airways;metabolizing volatile toxicants;and generating and transmitting olfactory signals Common diseases of the URT are rhinitis and sinusitis caused by allergic responses, foreign bodies, viral, fungal and bacterial infection, and neoplasms Clinical, imaging, and laboratory findings overlap extensively in these conditions, and in most instances identifying the etiology of inflammation requires detailed rhinoscopy, advanced imaging, and collection of cytologic and histologic specimens under general anesthesia Carefully targeted endoscopic brushings and needle aspirates may identify specific infectious agents and morphologically abnormal cells, while nasal flushes and swabs typically yield only superficial organisms and cells
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