Preferred Label : Posterior Triangle Lymph Node Group (Sublevels VA and VB);
NCIt definition : This group is composed predominantly of the lymph nodes located along the lower half
of the spinal accessory nerve and the transverse cervical artery. The supraclavicular
nodes also are included in the posterior triangle group. The superior boundary is
the apex formed by the convergence of the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles;
the inferior boundary is the clavicle; the anterior (medial) boundary is the posterior
border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle; and the posterior (lateral) boundary is
the anterior border of the trapezius muscle. Thus, sublevel VA includes the spinal
accessory nodes, whereas sublevel VB includes the nodes following the transverse cervical
vessels and the supraclavicular nodes, with the exception of the Virchow node, which
is located in level IV. The posterior triangle nodes are at greatest risk for harboring
metastases from cancers arising from the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and cutaneous structures
of the posterior scalp and neck. (AJCC 8th ed.);
NCI Metathesaurus CUI : CL520922;
Origin ID : C132513;
UMLS CUI : C4331027;
Anatomic structure is physical part of
- Semantic type(s)
