Table 1 Deep spaces of the neck with contents and tumours which can arise
From: Cross-sectional imaging in cancers of the head and neck: how we review and report
| Â | Space | Contents | Tumours |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Pharyngeal mucosa space | Mucosa with minor salivary glands Lymphoid tissue Pharyngobasilar fascia Levator and constrictor muscles Cartilaginous eustachian tube | Squamous cell carcinoma of pharynx Minor salivary gland tumours, lymphoma |
2 | Parapharyngeal space | Fat Minor salivary glands Trigeminal nerve (V3) Lymph nodes Internal maxillary / ascending pharyngeal artery | Lipomas, liposarcoma Minor salivary gland tumours Schwannomas Soft tissue sarcoma Metastatic lymph nodes |
3 | Masticator space | Muscles of mastication Mandibular ramus and body Inferior alveolar nerve | Sarcoma of muscle or bone, metastases Lymphomas, direct spread of carcinoma, Minor salivary tumour, |
4 | Parotid space | Parotid gland Intraparotid lymph nodes Facial nerve (VII) External carotid artery / retromandibular vein | Salivary gland tumours like mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic cancer etc. Metastatic adenopathy Lymphomas Oncocytomas, schwannomas, lipomas |
5 | Carotid space | Cranial nerves IX-XII Sympathetic nerves Jugular chain nodes Carotid artery / jugular vein | Schwannomas Neurofibromas Paragangliomas Metastatic adenopathy |
6 | Retropharyngeal space | Lymph nodes Fat Ectopic salivary gland tissue | Metastatic lymphadenopathy, lymphomas Salivary gland tumours Rhabdomyosarcomas |
7 | Perivertebral, vertebral | Vertebrae Prevertebrale muscles Blood vessels Paraspinal muscles Phrenic nerve | Primary and secondary bone tumours Plasmacytoma Sarcomas, chordoma Lymphomas Metastatic lymph nodes |
8 | Visceral space (infrahyoid neck) | Oesophagus Thyroid glands Parathyroid glands Trachea Nerves and vessels | Squamous cell carcinomas Minor salivary gland tumours Sarcomas Thyroid gland tumours Parathyroid tumours Metastases |