Evaluation and staging of the neck in patients with malignant disease.

This article presents an overview of the evaluation and staging of the neck in the context of malignant disease. The current tumor-nodes-metastasis (TNM) nodal classification is reviewed followed by a brief discussion of the common malignant processes encountered in the head and neck and their associated risk factors for cervical metastasis. Common imaging modalities, such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, Computed tomography, and positron emission tomography, for the investigation of the neck are also summarized.