Sublingual space
Last revised by Tariq Walizai
on 7 Oct 2024
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
S S, Walizai T, Warner R, et al. Sublingual space. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 06 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-34572
Permalink:
rID:
34572
Article created:
27 Feb 2015,
Sagar H S
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Sagar H S had no recorded disclosures.
View Sagar H S's current disclosures
Last revised:
7 Oct 2024,
Tariq Walizai
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Tariq Walizai had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Tariq Walizai's current disclosures
Revisions:
13 times, by
10 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
The sublingual spaces are paired suprahyoid deep spaces of the head and neck located below the tongue.
Gross anatomy
The sublingual space is a part of the floor of mouth 1.
As the sublingual space is not bounded by fascia posteriorly, some authors consider the sublingual space a component of the submandibular space 2. More commonly, however, the sublingual and submandibular spaces are discussed separately 3-5.
Each sublingual space communicates with contralateral sublingual space via a small isthmus just below the frenulum.
Boundaries
It is like an inverted V with its apex pointing anteriorly and is located between:
superiorly: intrinsic muscles of the tongue
inferolaterally: mylohyoid muscle
posteriorly: freely communicates along the posterior border of the mylohyoid muscle with the submandibular and parapharyngeal spaces
anteriorly: mandible
medially: geniohyoid/genioglossus complex
Contents
sublingual gland and duct
lingual artery and vein
glossopharyngeal (CN IX) and hypoglossal (CN XII) nerves
deep portion of the submandibular gland and duct
Related pathology
References
- 1. La'porte SJ, Juttla JK, Lingam RK. Imaging the floor of the mouth and the sublingual space. (2011) Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. 31 (5): 1215-30. doi:10.1148/rg.315105062 - Pubmed
- 2. Som PM, Curtin HD. Head and Neck Imaging. (2011) ISBN: 9780323053556
- 3. Mukherji SK, Castillo M. A simplified approach to the spaces of the suprahyoid neck. Radiol. Clin. North Am. 1998;36 (5): 761-80, v. Pubmed citation
- 4. Harnsberger HR. Handbook Of Head And Neck Imaging: Handbooks in Radiology Series, 2e. Mosby. ISBN:0815142331. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 5. Otonari-Yamamoto M, Nakajima K, Tsuji Y et-al. Imaging of the mylohyoid muscle: separation of submandibular and sublingual spaces. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2010;194 (5): W431-8. doi:10.2214/AJR.09.3516 - Pubmed citation
Incoming Links
Articles:
Cases:
- Ranula
- Mylohyoid boutonniere
- Ludwig angina
- Ludwig angina progressing to necrotising deep soft tissue infection
- Plunging ranula
- Cervical cystic lymphangioma
- Submandibular gland main duct sialolith
- Ranula
- Lingual abscess
- Plunging ranula
- Mylohyoid boutonniere
- Submandibular gland haemangioma
- Tongue and floor of mouth neoplasm
- Ludwig angina
- Sublingual space: annotated MRI
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