Abstract
The successful management of superficial and deep neck space pathology is a multidisciplinary team affair, based upon a sound understanding of important anatomical fascia planes, interrelated neck spaces and 3D visualisation of critical organ and structural relationships.
The deep cervical fascia (DCF) has superficial and deep layers that define boundaries between distinct deep neck spaces in the supra- and infra-hyoid head and neck. For each deep neck space, the normal anatomic contents determine the most commonly occurring pathologies and the closest anatomic relationships determine both likely routes of disease spread and associated complications.
This chapter provides a review of the surgical and radiological deep neck space anatomy, emphasising the importance of an overarching multidisciplinary approach to optimise patient care, by selecting appropriate imaging protocols based on the clinical differential plus concern for complicating factors. This approach is key to determining aetiology, appropriate diagnostic sampling (either under ultrasound or under CT guidance), pre-treatment planning for therapeutic approach, as well as monitoring for treatment response in both the acute and the non-acute settings.
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Tatla, T.S., Navaratnam, A., Gibson, D., Weller, A. (2021). Head and Neck Fascial Planes and Deep Neck Space Imaging. In: Tatla, T.S., Manjaly, J., Kumar, R., Weller, A. (eds) Head and Neck Imaging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80897-6_4
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