Very high frequency (13 MHz) ultrasonographic examination of the neck successfully visualized one or more normal lymph nodes (weakly echoic oval structures with an echoic central hilum) in 67.6% of 1000 healthy volunteers. Efficacy was not related to recent ear, nose, and throat infection, sex, or age. The longitudinal-transverse diameter ratio was greater than or equal to 2 in 86.2% of cases. No signal was detected with color Doppler imaging. One or more thyroid nodules were also identified in 34.7% of the subjects: the frequency was 44% in women and 42% in subjects over 50 years of age.