Cervical lymph node groups
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Ashraf A, Hng J, et al. Cervical lymph node groups. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 11 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-40774
rID:
40774
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Ammar Ashraf had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Ammar Ashraf's current disclosures
Revisions:
17 times, by
11 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Cervical lymph node group
- Cervical lymph node grouping
The cervical lymph node groups covers all the lymph nodes in the head and neck region. These named groups overlap with the cervical lymph node levels, which are numbered.
Gross anatomy
Groups described in the literature include but are not limited to the following:
-
superficial lymph node groups of the head and neck junction (pericervical lymphoid ring) 5
-
facial group
inferior maxillary (supramaxillary, supramandibular, inframandibular)
buccinator
infraorbital (nasolabial)
malar
-
parotid group
-
periparotid/preauricular
superficial extrafascial
subfascial extraglandular
-
superficial
deep
subparotid node
-
mastoid group (retroauricular/postauricular or posterior auricular)
-
occipital group
suprafascial
subfascial
deep
-
-
medial retropharyngeal
-
lateral retropharyngeal
-
level Ia: submental group
level Ib: submandibular group
levels II, III, and IV: deep cervical chain (or internal jugular chain)
-
level V: posterior triangle group (or spinal accessory group)
-
level VI: anterior cervical group
-
prelaryngeal chain
pretracheal chain
paratracheal chain
-
Quiz questions
References
- 1. H. Ric Harnsberger. Diagnostic Imaging. (2011) ISBN: 9781931884785 - Google Books
- 2. Chong V. Cervical Lymphadenopathy: What Radiologists Need to Know. Cancer Imaging. 2004;4(2):116-20. doi:10.1102/1470-7330.2004.0020 - Pubmed
- 3. Martinez-Monge R, Fernandes P, Gupta N, Gahbauer R. Cross-Sectional Nodal Atlas: A Tool for the Definition of Clinical Target Volumes in Three-Dimensional Radiation Therapy Planning. Radiology. 1999;211(3):815-28. doi:10.1148/radiology.211.3.r99jn40815 - Pubmed
- 4. Ravikiran Ongole, Praveen B N. Textbook of Oral Medicine, Oral Diagnosis and Oral Radiology - E-Book. (2014) ISBN: 9788131237991 - Google Books
- 5. Bou-Assaly W. The Forgotten Lymph Nodes: Review of the Superficial Head and Neck Lymphatic System. J Radiol Imaging. 2016;1(1):9-13. doi:10.14312/2399-8172.2016-3
Incoming Links
Articles:
Cases:
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Anatomy: Head and neck
- skeleton of the head and neck
-
cranial vault
- scalp (mnemonic)
- fontanelle
-
sutures
- calvarial
- facial
- frontozygomatic suture
- frontomaxillary suture
- frontolacrimal suture
- frontonasal suture
- temporozygomatic suture
- zygomaticomaxillary suture
- parietotemporal suture (parietomastoid suture)
- occipitotemporal suture (occipitomastoid suture)
- sphenofrontal suture
- sphenozygomatic suture
- spheno-occipital suture (not a true suture)
- lacrimomaxillary suture
- nasomaxillary suture
- internasal suture
- basal/internal
- skull landmarks
- frontal bone
- temporal bone
- parietal bone
- occipital bone
- skull base (foramina)
-
facial bones
- midline single bones
- paired bilateral bones
- cervical spine
- hyoid bone
- laryngeal cartilages
-
cranial vault
- muscles of the head and neck
- muscles of the tongue (mnemonic)
- muscles of mastication
-
facial muscles
- epicranius muscle
- circumorbital and palpebral muscles
- nasal muscles
-
buccolabial muscles
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- levator labii superioris alaeque nasalis muscle
- levator labii superioris muscle
- zygomaticus major muscle
- zygomaticus minor muscle
- levator anguli oris muscle
- malaris muscle
- risorius muscle
- depressors, retractors and evertors of the lower lip
- depressor labii inferioris muscle
- depressor anguli oris muscle
- mentalis muscle
- compound sphincter
-
orbicularis oris muscle
- incisivus labii superioris muscle
- incisivus labii inferioris muscle
-
orbicularis oris muscle
- muscle of mastication
- modiolus
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- muscles of the middle ear
- orbital muscles
- muscles of the soft palate
- pharyngeal muscles
- suprahyoid muscles
- infrahyoid muscles
- intrinsic muscles of the larynx
- muscles of the neck
- platysma muscle
- longus colli muscle
- longus capitis muscle
- scalenus anterior muscle
- scalenus medius muscle
- scalenus posterior muscle
- scalenus pleuralis muscle
- sternocleidomastoid muscle
-
suboccipital muscles
- rectus capitis posterior major muscle
- rectus capitis posterior minor muscle
- obliquus capitis superior muscle
- obliquus capitis inferior muscle
- accessory muscles of the neck
- deep cervical fascia
-
deep spaces of the neck
- anterior cervical space
- buccal space
- carotid space
- danger space
- deep cervical fascia
- infratemporal fossa
- masticator space
- parapharyngeal space
- stylomandibular tunnel
- parotid space
- pharyngeal (superficial) mucosal space
- perivertebral space
- posterior cervical space
- pterygopalatine fossa
- retropharyngeal space
- suprasternal space (of Burns)
- visceral space
- surgical triangles of the neck
- orbit
- ear
- paranasal sinuses
- upper respiratory tract
- viscera of the neck
- blood supply of the head and neck
-
arterial supply
-
common carotid artery
- carotid body
- carotid bifurcation
- subclavian artery
- variants
-
common carotid artery
- venous drainage
-
arterial supply
- innervation of the head and neck
-
cranial nerves
- olfactory nerve (CN I)
- optic nerve (CN II)
- oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- trochlear nerve (CN IV)
-
trigeminal nerve (CN V) (mnemonic)
- trigeminal ganglion
- ophthalmic division
- maxillary division
- mandibular division
- abducens nerve (CN VI)
- facial nerve (CN VII)
-
vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
- vestibular ganglion (Scarpa's ganglion)
- glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
- vagus nerve (CN X)
- (spinal) accessory nerve (CN XI)
- hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
- parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck
- cervical sympathetic ganglia
- greater occipital nerve
- third occipital nerve
-
cervical plexus
- muscular branches
- longus capitis
- longus colli
- scalenes
- geniohyoid
- thyrohyoid
-
ansa cervicalis
- omohyoid (superior and inferior bellies separately)
- sternothyroid
- sternohyoid
- phrenic nerve
- contribution to the accessory nerve (CN XI)
- cutaneous branches
- muscular branches
- brachial plexus
- pharyngeal plexus
-
cranial nerves
- lymphatic drainage of the head and neck
- embryological development of the head and neck
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