Lymph Nodes
All regional nodes for the lung are above the diaphragm. The nodes are classified into 14 distinct groups based on the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). Within the 14 groups there are several different zones.
| Zone | Lymph Nodes | Stations |
|---|---|---|
| Low cervical zone OR Supraclavicular zone |
Supraclavicular Low cervical Sternal notch |
1L, 1R |
| Upper zone (superior mediastinal nodes) | Upper paratracheal | 2L, 2R |
| Prevascular Anterior mediastinal nodes Pretracheal |
3A | |
| Retrotracheal Posterior (trachea- esophageal) |
3B | |
| Lower paratracheal Precarinal |
4L, 4R | |
| Aortopulmonary zone | Subaortic (aortopulmonary window) | 5 |
| Para-aortic Ascending aorta or phrenic |
6 | |
| Subcarinal zone | Subcarinal | 7 |
| Lower zone (inferior mediastinal nodes) | Paraesophageal Periesophageal |
8L, 8R |
| Pulmonary ligament | 9L, 9R | |
| Hilar and interlobar zone | Hilar Bronchial (peri/parabronchial) Bronchopulmonary Pulmonary root |
10L, 10R |
| Interlobar | 11 | |
| Peripheral zone | Lobar | 12 |
| Segmental | 13 | |
| Subsegmental | 14 |
Updated: April 8, 2026
Suggested Citation
SEER Training Modules: Lymph Nodes. U.S. National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. Cited 23 April 2026. Available from: https://training.seer.cancer.gov.