Mastoid lymph nodes

Lymph: Mastoid lymph nodes
Superficial lymph glands and lymphatic vessels of head and neck. (Posterior auricular labeled at center left.)
Lymph nodes at Surface: 1. Occipital (retroauricular) 2. Mastoid 3. Superficial Parotid 4. Deep Parotid 5. Preauricular 6. Infraauricular 7. Intraglandular parotid Facial Lymph Nodes: 8. Buccinator 9. Nasolabial 10. Mandibular 11. Anterior Cervical (Superficial jugular) 12. Superficial Cervical (External jugular)
Latin	nodi lymphoidei mastoidei
Gray's	subject #177 693
Drains from	scalp
Drains to	superior deep cervical glands

The mastoid lymph nodes (retroauricular lymph nodes, posterior auricular glands), usually two in number, are situated on the mastoid insertion of the Sternocleidomastoideus, beneath the Auricularis posterior.

Their afferent vessels drain the posterior part of the temporoparietal region, the upper part of the cranial surface of the auricula or pinna, and the back of the external acoustic meatus; their efferents pass to the superior deep cervical glands.

External links

• Diagram at Baylor College of Medicine (listed as "retroauricular")

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.