The following superficial anatomical landmarks can be used to estimate the spinal level1:
| Surface landmark | Spinal projection2 |
|---|---|
| Angle of the mandible | C1-2 |
| Hyoid bone | C3-4 |
| Thyroid cartilage | C4-5 |
| Cricothyroid membrane | C5-6 |
| Cricoid cartilage | C6-7 |
| Spine of the scapula | T2-3 |
| Inferior angle of the scapula | T6 |
| Tuffier's line | L4-L5 |
The exact level cannot be reliably determined based on superficial landmarks and should always be confirmed intraoperatively using fluoroscopy.
References