A lymph node, or lymph gland is a kidney-shaped organ of the lymphatic system, and the adaptive immune system. A large number of lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by the lymphatic vessels. They are major sites of lymphocytes that include B and T cells. Lymph nodes are important for the proper functioning of the immune system, acting as filters for foreign particles including cancer cells, but have no detoxification function.
The right and left paratracheal lymph nodes are groups of lymph nodes located in the throat.
The carotid sheath is an anatomical term for the fibrous connective tissue that surrounds the vascular compartment of the neck. It is part of the deep cervical fascia of the neck, below the superficial cervical fascia meaning the subcutaneous adipose tissue immediately beneath the skin.
The retropharyngeal space is a potential space of the head and neck, bounded by the buccopharyngeal fascia anteriorly and the alar fascia posteriorly.
Cervical lymph nodes are lymph nodes found in the neck. Of the 800 lymph nodes in the human body, 300 are in the neck. Cervical lymph nodes are subject to a number of different pathological conditions including tumours, infection and inflammation.
The occipital lymph nodes, one to three in number, are located on the back of the head close to the margin of the trapezius and resting on the insertion of the semispinalis capitis.
The deep cervical lymph nodes are a group of cervical lymph nodes found near the internal jugular vein in the neck.
The prevertebral fascia is a fascia in the neck.
Supraclavicular lymph nodes are lymph nodes found above to the clavicle, that can be felt in the supraclavicular fossa. The supraclavicular lymph nodes on the left side are called Virchow's nodes.
The submandibular lymph nodes, three to six in number, are lymph nodes beneath the body of the mandible in the submandibular triangle, and rest on the superficial surface of the submandibular gland.
The deep parotid lymph nodes are lymph nodes found below the parotid gland.
Parotid lymph nodes are lymph nodes found near the parotid gland in the immune system.
The superficial parotid lymph nodes are a group of lymph nodes anterior to the ear.
The deep lateral cervical lymph nodes are found near the upper part of the internal jugular vein in the neck, lateral or posterior to the carotid sheath.
The superficial lateral cervical lymph nodes are found along the course of the external jugular vein, between the inferior aspect of the parotid gland and the supraclavicular nodes. The nodes are intercalated along the course of the vessels draining the parotid nodes and the infraauricular nodes. These nodes drain into the supraclavicular nodes, and on to the jugular trunk, followed by the thoracic duct on the left or the right lymphatic duct.
The anterior cervical lymph nodes are a group of nodes found on the anterior part of the neck, in front of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. These can be grouped into a deep and superficial group.
The pretracheal lymph nodes are lymph nodes located anterior to the trachea in the neck.
The alar fascia is a layer of fascia, sometimes described as part of the prevertebral fascia, and sometimes as in front of it.
The parapharyngeal space, is a potential space in the head and the neck. It has clinical importance in otolaryngology due to parapharyngeal space tumours and parapharyngeal abscess developing in this area. It is also a key anatomic landmark for localizing disease processes in the surrounding spaces of the neck; the direction of its displacement indirectly reflects the site of origin for masses or infection in adjacent areas, and consequently their appropriate differential diagnosis.
Guttural pouches are large, auditory-tube diverticula that contain between 300 and 600 ml of air. They are present in odd-toed mammals, some bats, hyraxes, and the American forest mouse. They are paired bilaterally just below the ears, behind the skull and connect to the nasopharynx.
