Table 1

Cervical nodal levels

Levels
Nodes
Boundaries





Superior
Inferior
Anterior (medial)
Posterior (lateral)

IA Submental group
Submental nodes
Symphysis of mandible
Body of hyoid
Anterior belly of contralateral digastric muscle
Anterior belly of ipsilateral digastric muscle
IB Submandibular group
Submandibular nodes
Body of mandible
Posterior belly of digastric muscle
Anterior belly of digastric muscle
Stylohyoid muscle
IIA Upper Jugular group Nodes
Nodes around upper portions of Internal jugular vein and Accessory Nerve
Skull base
Horizontal plane defined by the inferior border of hyoid bone
Stylohyoid muscle
Vertical plane defined by the spinal accessory nerve
IIB Upper Jugular group Nodes

Skull base
Horizontal plane defined by the inferior border of hyoid bone
Vertical plane defined by the spinal accessory nerve
Lateral border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle
III Mid Jugular group
Nodes around mid portions of Internal jugular vein
Horizontal plane defined by the inferior border of hyoid bone
Horizontal plane defined by the inferior border of cricoid cartilage
Lateral border of the sternohyoid muscle
Lateral border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle or sensory branches of the cervical plexus
IV Lower Jugular group
Nodes around lower third of IJV
Horizontal plane defined by the inferior border of cricoid cartilage
Clavicle
Lateral border of the sternohyoid muscle
Lateral border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle or sensory branches of the cervical plexus
VA Posterior triangle group
Nodes around lower part of Accessory nerve and transverse cervical vessels
Apex of the convergence of sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles
Horizontal plane defined by the inferior border of cricoid cartilage
Lateral border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle or sensory branches of the cervical plexus
Anterior border of the trapezius muscle
VB Posterior triangle group

Horizontal plane defined by the inferior border of cricoid cartilage
Clavicle
Lateral border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle or sensory branches of the cervical plexus
Anterior border of the trapezius muscle
VI Central or anterior group
Nodes surrounding midline visceral structures of neck
Hyoid bone
Suprasternal
Common carotid artery
Common carotid artery

Harish World Journal of Surgical Oncology 2005 3:21   doi:10.1186/1477-7819-3-21