Mastoid lymph nodes

Lymph: Mastoid lymph nodes
Superficial lymph glands and lymphatic vessels of head and neck (mastoid lymph nodes are labeled as posterior auricular glands 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	p.693
Drains from	Scalp
Drains to	Superior deep cervical glands

The mastoid lymph nodes (retroauricular lymph nodes or posterior auricular glands) are a small group of lymph nodes, usually two in number, located just beneath the ear, on the mastoid insertion of the sternocleidomastoideus muscle, beneath the posterior auricular muscle.

Their mastoid lymph nodes receives lymph from the posterior part of the temporoparietal region, the upper part of the cranial surface of the visible ear and the back of the ear canal. The lymph then passes to the superior deep cervical glands.

References

This article incorporates text from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy.

External links

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