Lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma is common. Objective: study the characteristics clinical, paraclinical signs of cervical lymph node metastasis. Patients & Method: 30 patients suffering from papilary thyroid carcinoma with cervical lymph node metastasis. This is descriptive retrospective study. Results: Female/male ratio is 2.7/1. Age varies from 17 to 75, average 40.8. The most common age is 20-40. Most lymph node metatstasis were discovered by prophylactic dissection (13/30), by clinical examination (8/30) and ultrasound (9/30). On ultrasound, nodes are hyposignal (6/17) or mix echo (8/17), round or oval shape. Unclear hilar structure (15/17), microcalcifications (10/17). Nodal metastasis is ipsilatreral. Common group involvemnt is VI (21/24), then IV (8/11), II (12/17), III (10/16) and V (3/8). Nodal quantity concentrate on group VI (49/52) and group IV (18/20). Rarely metastasis involves group III (31/80), II (25/84), V (6/24), no metastasis to group 1. Conclusion: Lymph node metastasis of papilary thyroid carcinoma is common, mostly micrometastasis and ipsilateral. Diagnosis is based on clinical, ultrasound and prophylactic dissection.