Subject: To study the role of MRI in the illustration of metastatic lymphatic pathways and clinical N-staging of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: Eighty NPC patients were examined with MRI before radiotherapy from Mar. 1994 to Jun. 1996. MRI were performed using T1 weighted image (T1WI) and T2 weighted image (T2WI) in transverse, and using T1WI in sagittal and coronal sections. Results: 1. NpC chief metastatic lymphatic pathways are: primary foci → Rouviere's node (RN), or retrostyloid space nodes (RSN) secondarily →deep cervical nodes; 2. The superior border of neck fields should be moved upward to the level of external acoustic meatus; 3. The authors suggested that in Nstaging for NPC, N0 and N1 be divided into N0a and N0b,and N1a and N1b. Conclusion: MRI is very useful in clinical N-staging of NPC, especially for the reflection of the influance of RN and/or RSN tumefaction on N-staging.