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Mnemonic

Lung Lymphatic Drainage

A memory aid for the sequence of lymph node groups draining the lung.

Anatomy Thorax
Expansion

Pulmonary, bronchopulmonary, tracheobronchial, then paratracheal nodes

Expansion

The sequence, working inwards and upwards:

  1. Pulmonary (intrapulmonary) nodes - along the segmental bronchi
  2. Bronchopulmonary (hilar) nodes - at the lung root
  3. Tracheobronchial nodes - around the carina, including the subcarinal group
  4. Paratracheal nodes
  5. Bronchomediastinal lymph trunks
  6. Thoracic duct on the left, right lymphatic duct on the right

Two crossings are worth knowing. The left lower lobe drains partly to the right side, so a left-sided tumour can produce right-sided nodal disease. And the visceral pleura drains to the hilum while the parietal pleura drains to the chest wall nodes, which is why pleural involvement changes the staging pathway.