eRadiograph Volume 7: Imaging of Oral Cavity | Page 320

Sublingual/Submandibular Spaces
Introduction
Anatomy: The sublingual space is a potential space beneath the tongue as there is no
facial covering. It lies beneath the undersurface of the tongue, lateral to the
genioglossus/geniohyoid muscles and superomedial to the mylohyoid muscle. Both
sublingual spaces communicate anteriorly through an isthmus under the frenulum of
the tongue as there is no fascial covering. Along the posterior margin of the mylohyoid
the sublingual submandibular and parapharyngeal spaces communicate. The
sublingual space contains the hyoglossus muscle, lingual artery, vein, nerve, Whartons
duct, sublingual gland. The deep portion of the submandibular gland wraps around
the posterior edge of the mylohyoid muscle to lie in the sublingual space. The
sublingual space is divided by the hyoglossus muscle which runs from the hyoid bone
to the lateral aspect of the tongue. The hyoglossus muscle separates the lingual artery
which lies medial to the hyoglossus muscle from the lingual vein and submandibular
duct which is lateral to the hyoglossus muscle. The sublingual glands are the smallest of
the major salivary glands. The drainage of the sublingual gland is by many small
excretory ducts – the Rivrus ducts which open directly into the floor of the mouth. A
large duct Bartholin duct may empty into the submandibular duct near its orifice,
lymphatic drainage is to level I nodes.

The parotid and submandibular gland are separated by the stylomandibular ligament –
the submandibular gland is arbitrarily divided into a superficial and deep component
based on its extension around the posterior margin of mylohyoid muscle which divides
submandibular space from floor of mouth.
No lymph nodes or large nerves are present in the submandibular gland. Lymphatic
drainage is to IB submandibular nodes and deep cervical lymph nodes IIA.
The submandibular duct known as whartons duct courses anteriorly and superiorly
between gengioglossus muscle and sublingual gland to open in the floor of the mouth
on the sublingual papilla on either side of the tongue.
The anterior facial vein which runs along the anterior margin of the submandibular

320

Submandibular
and Sublingual Space

Submandibular Spaces
Submandibular space is a fascial lined space which extends from the mylohyoid muscle
inferiorly to the hyoid bone. Platysma forms the superficial margin of the
submandibular space. The contents of the submandibular space are anterior belly of digastric muscle, submandibular nodes, submandibular gland and facial vein. The
submandibular gland occupies most of the submandibular triangle, which is formed by
the inferior border of the mandibular body and anterior/posterior bellies of the
digastric muscle.