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- The parotid duct passes lateral (superficial) and anterior to the masseter muscle.
- The parotid gland is positioned posterior and lateral (superficial) to the masseter muscle.
- The branches of the facial nerve pass lateral (superficial) to the masseter muscle.
- The facial artery passes lateral (superficial) to the mandible (body).
- On the face, the facial vein is positioned posterior to the facial artery.
- The sternocleidomastoid muscle is positioned superficial to both the omohyoid muscle and the carotid sheath.
- The external jugular vein passes lateral (superficial) to the sternocleidomastoid muscle.
- The great auricular and transverse cervical nerves pass posterior and lateral (superficial) to the sternocleidomastoid muscle.
- The lesser occipital nerve passes posterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle.
- The accessory nerve passes medial (deep) and then posterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle.
- The hyoid bone is positioned superior to the thyroid cartilage.
- The omohyoid muscle is positioned anterior-lateral to the sternothyroid muscle and passes superficial to the carotid sheath.
- At the level of the thyroid cartilage, the sternothyroid muscle is positioned deep and lateral to the sternohyoid muscle.
- The submandibular gland is positioned posterior and inferior to the mylohyoid muscle.
- The digastric muscle (anterior belly) is positioned superficial (inferior-lateral) to the mylohyoid muscle.
- The thyroid gland (isthmus) is positioned directly anterior to the trachea.
- The thyroid gland (lobes) is positioned directly lateral to the trachea.
- The ansa cervicalis (inferior root) passes lateral (superficial) to the internal jugular vein.
- The ansa cervicalis (superior root) is positioned anterior to the internal jugular vein.
- The vagus nerve is positioned posterior-medial to the internal jugular vein and posterior-lateral to the common carotid artery.
- The internal jugular vein is positioned lateral to the carotid artery.
- The external carotid artery is positioned anterior to the internal carotid artery.
- The facial artery passes medial (deep) to the stylohyoid muscle and the intermediate tendon of the digastric muscle.
- The hypoglossal nerve passes medial (deep) to the stylohyoid muscle and the intermediate tendon of the digastric muscle and lateral (superficial) to the hyoglossus muscle.
- During its posterior course, the occipital artery first passes medial (deep) and then lateral (superficial) to the hypoglossal nerve.
- The subclavian artery passes directly posterior to the anterior scalene muscle.
- The phrenic nerve and subclavian vein pass directly anterior to the anterior scalene muscle.
- The suprascapular and transverse cervical arteries typically pass directly anterior to the anterior scalene muscle.
- The brachial plexus (roots) are positioned directly anterior to the middle scalene and directly posterior to the anterior scalene muscles.
- The left brachiocephalic vein passes anterior to both the left common carotid and brachiocephalic arteries.
- The left phrenic nerve passes posterior to the left brachiocephalic vein.
- The inferior thyroid artery passes deep (posterior-medial) to the common carotid artery.
- The ascending cervical artery is positioned directly anterior to the anterior scalene muscle.
- The thoracic duct passes anterior to the left subclavian artery and phrenic nerve, and posterior to the common carotid artery, vagus nerve and internal jugular vein.
- The trachea is positioned directly anterior to the esophagus.
- The recurrent laryngeal nerve is positioned lateral to the trachea.
- The right recurrent laryngeal nerve passes inferior and posterior to the right subclavian artery.
- The vagus nerves pass directly anterior to the subclavian arteries.
- The splenius capitis muscle is positioned superficial to the semispinalis capitis muscle.
- The splenius cervicis muscle is positioned superficial to the longissimus capitis muscle.
- The greater occipital nerve passes inferior and posterior to the inferior oblique muscle.
- The masseter muscle is positioned lateral (superficial) to the mandible (ramus) and inferior to the zygomatic arch.
- The temporalis muscle passes medial (deep) to the zygomatic arch.
- The lateral pterygoid muscle is positioned superior to the medial pterygoid muscle and anterior to the head and neck of the mandible.
- The lingual nerve passes medial to the mandible and lateral to the medial pterygoid muscle and is positioned anterior to the inferior alveolar nerve.
- The medial pterygoid muscle is positioned medial (deep) to the mandible (ramus).
- The maxillary artery passes medial to the mandible (neck) and lateral to the sphenomandiblar ligament. It typically passes lateral to the lateral pterygoid muscle.
- The retromandibular vein is positioned posterior-medial to the mandible (ramus).
- The oculomotor nerve passes medial to the cerebral peduncle of the midbrain.
- The oculomotor nerve passes directly inferior to the posterior cerebral artery and directly superior to the superior cerebellar artery.
- The glossopharyngeal nerve passes directly lateral to the medullary olive.
- The hypoglossal nerve passes directly lateral to the medullary pyramid.
- The vagus nerve passes directly lateral to the medullary olive.
- The basilar artery is positioned ventral to the pons.
- The internal carotid artery is positioned lateral to the pituitary.
- The abducens nerve passes directly lateral to the internal carotid artery.
- The oculomotor, ophthalmic, and trochlear nerves all pass lateral to the internal carotid artery.
- The superior oblique (tendon) muscle passes inferior to the superior rectus muscle.
- The superior oblique muscle is positioned superior to the medial rectus muscle.
- The nasociliary nerve passes directly superior to the optic nerve.
- The nasociliary nerve (anterior ethmoidal and infratrochlear branches) passes directly superior to the medial rectus muscle and directly inferior to the superior oblique muscle.
- The ophthalmic artery passes inferior, lateral and superior to the optic nerve.
- The inferior oblique muscle passes inferior to the inferior rectus muscle.
- The ethmoidal air cells are positioned directly medial to the orbit.
- The maxillary sinus is positioned inferior to the orbit, superior to the upper teeth, and lateral to the nasal cavity (inferior meatus).
- The infraorbital artery and nerve pass directly superior to the maxillary sinus.
- The tonsilar bed is positioned anterior to the palatopharyngeal arch and posterior to the palatoglossal arch.
- The tensor veli palatini muscle is positioned anterior-lateral to the levator veli palatini muscle.
- The tensor veli palatini muscle (tendon) passes inferior to the sphenoid bone (hamulus of the medial pterygoid plate).
- The palatoglossal fold (muscle) is positioned directly anterior to the tonsilar bed.
- The palatopharyngeal fold (muscle) is positioned directly posterior to the tonsilar fold.
- The sublingual artery is positioned inferior to the submandibular duct.
- The sublingual gland is positioned superior to the mylohyoid muscle and lateral to the genioglossus muscle.
- The lingual nerve passes medial to the mandible and lateral to the medial pterygoid and styloglossus muscles.
- The lingual nerve passes inferior to the superior constrictor and pterygomandibular raphe.
- The lingual nerve passes lateral, inferior and medial to the submandibular duct.
- The mylohyoid muscle is positioned inferior to the geniohyoid muscle.
- The genioglossus muscle is positioned superior to the geniohyoid muscle.
- The hyoglossus muscle is positioned superior to the hyoid bone.
- The hypoglossal nerve passes deep (superior-medial) to the mylohyoid muscle and lateral to the hyoglossus muscle.
- The lingual artery passes medial (deep) to the hyoglossus muscle.
- The vallecula is positioned directly anterior to the epiglottis and posterior to the tongue (root).
- The epiglottis is positioned posterior to the tongue (root).
- The piriform recess is positioned lateral to the laryngeal inlet.
- The vocal ligament is positioned anterior to the arytenoid cartilage.
- The vocal fold is positioned inferior to the vestibular fold.
- The thyroid cartilage (laminae) are positioned superior to the cricoid cartilage (lamina).
- The arytenoid cartilage are positioned superior to the cricoid cartilage (lamina).
- The sympathetic trunk is positioned directly anterior to the prevertebral muscles and directly posterior to the carotid sheath.
- The hypoglossal nerve passes lateral to the internal and external carotid arteries, and medial to the internal jugular vein.
- The superior laryngeal nerve passes medial to the internal and external carotid arteries.
- The glossopharyngeal nerve (and pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve) passes between the internal and external carotid arteries.