Table 5. Protocols for lobe-specific mediastinal lymphadenectomy for SPNs of NSCLC.

Dissection field	Tumor locations
	RUL	LUL	RLL	LLL	RML
Superior mediastinum^	◎	◎	○c	○c	◎
Inferior mediastinum	○a	○b	◎	◎	◎

◎, complete regional lymphadenectomy is warranted; ○, lymph nodes dissection could be omitted considerably; ^a, when #2,4 shows negative in intraoperative frozen section; ^b, when #10,11 shows negative in intraoperative frozen section; ^c, when #10,11 and #7 show negative in intraoperative frozen section; ^, #1-4 in RUL, #4-7 in LUL. SPNs, solitary pulmonary nodules; NSCLC, non-small cell lung cancer; RUL, right upper lung; LUL, left upper lung; RLL, right lower lung; LLL, left lower lung; RML, right middle lung.