Humans have approximately 500–600

lymph node 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 inclu ...

s distributed throughout the body, with clusters found in the underarms, groin, neck, chest, and abdomen.

Lymph nodes of the head

* Occipital lymph nodes * Mastoid lymph nodes * Parotid lymph nodes

Lymph nodes of the neck

* Cervical lymph nodes ** Submental lymph nodes ** Submandibular lymph nodes * Deep cervical lymph nodes ** Deep anterior cervical lymph nodes ** Deep lateral cervical lymph nodes * Inferior deep cervical lymph nodes ** Jugulo-omohyoid lymph node **

Jugulodigastric lymph node The jugulodigastric lymph nodes are large lymph nodes of the neck. Structure The jugulodigastric lymph nodes are found in the proximity of where the posterior belly of the digastric muscle crosses the internal jugular vein. Nodes are typically ...

* Supraclavicular lymph nodes **

Virchow's node Supraclavicular lymph nodes are lymph nodes found above the clavicle, that can be felt in the supraclavicular fossa. The supraclavicular lymph nodes on the left side are called Virchow's nodes.pulmonary artery, the pulmonary veins, the main bronchus for each side, some vegetative nerves and the lymphatics) of each lung. The lymph flows subsequently to the mediastinal lymph nodes. *

Mediastinal The mediastinum (from ) is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity. Surrounded by loose connective tissue, it is an undelineated region that contains a group of structures within the thorax, namely the heart and its vessels, the esophagu ...

lymph nodes: They consist of several lymph node groups, especially along the trachea (5 groups), along the esophagus and between the

lung The lungs are the primary organs of the respiratory system in humans and most other animals, including some snails and a small number of fish. In mammals and most other vertebrates, two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of t ...

and the

diaphragm Diaphragm may refer to: Anatomy * Thoracic diaphragm, a thin sheet of muscle between the thorax and the abdomen * Pelvic diaphragm or pelvic floor, a pelvic structure * Urogenital diaphragm or triangular ligament, a pelvic structure Other * Diap ...

. In the mediastinal lymph nodes arises lymphatic ducts, which drains the lymph to the left subclavian vein (to the venous angle in the confluence of the subclavian and deep jugular veins). The mediastinal lymph nodes along the esophagus are in tight connection with the abdominal lymph nodes along the esophagus and the stomach. That fact facilitates spreading of tumor cells through these lymphatics in cases of cancers of the stomach and particularly of the esophagus. Through the

mediastinum The mediastinum (from ) is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity. Surrounded by loose connective tissue, it is an undelineated region that contains a group of structures within the thorax, namely the heart and its vessels, the esophagu ...

, the main lymphatic drainage from the abdominal organs goes via the thoracic duct (''ductus thoracicus''), which drains majority of the lymph from the abdomen to the above mentioned left venous angle.

Lymph nodes of the abdomen

These include: *

Periaortic lymph nodes The periaortic lymph nodes (also known as lumbar) are a group of lymph nodes that lie in front of the lumbar vertebrae near the aorta. These lymph nodes receive drainage from the gastrointestinal tract and the abdominal organs. The periaortic ly ...

Preaortic lymph nodes The preaortic lymph nodes lie in front of the aorta, and may be divided into celiac lymph nodes, superior mesenteric lymph nodes, and inferior mesenteric lymph nodes groups, arranged around the origins of the corresponding arteries. The celiac ly ...

*** Celiac lymph nodes **** Hepatic lymph nodes ****

Gastric lymph nodes The gastric lymph nodes are lymph nodes which drain the stomach and consist of two sets, superior and inferior: * The superior gastric lymph nodes () accompany the left gastric artery and are divisible into three groups: ** Upper, on the stem of t ...

****

Splenic lymph nodes The splenic lymph nodes are found at the splenic hilum and in relation to the tail of the pancreas (pancreaticolienal lymph nodes). Their afferents are derived from the stomach, spleen, and pancreas The pancreas is an organ of the digestive ...

***

Superior mesenteric lymph nodes The superior mesenteric lymph nodes may be divided into three principal groups: * mesenteric lymph nodes * ileocolic lymph nodes * mesocolic lymph nodes Structure Mesenteric lymph nodes The mesenteric lymph nodes or mesenteric glands are one of ...

*** Inferior mesenteric lymph nodes **

Retroaortic lymph nodes The retroaortic lymph nodes (or postaortic lymph nodes) are placed below the cisterna chyli, on the bodies of the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae. They receive lymphatic trunks from the lateral and preaortic glands, while their efferents end i ...

Nodes around the iliac vessels are: * Common iliac lymph nodes *

Internal iliac lymph nodes The internal iliac lymph nodes (or hypogastric) surround the internal iliac artery and its branches (the ''hypogastric vessels''), and receive the lymphatics corresponding to the distribution of the branches of it, i. e., they receive lymphatics fr ...

* External iliac lymph nodes Others in the pelvis include: * Sacral lymph nodes * Retroperitoneal lymph nodes

Lymph nodes of the arm

These drain the whole of the arm, and are divided into two groups, superficial and deep. The superficial nodes are supplied by lymphatics that are present throughout the arm, but are particularly rich on the palm and flexor aspects of the digits. * Superficial lymph nodes of the arm: ** Supratrochlear nodes: Situated above the medial epicondyle of the

humerus The humerus (; ) is a long bone in the arm that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. It connects the scapula and the two bones of the lower arm, the radius and ulna, and consists of three sections. The humeral upper extremity consists of a roun ...

, medial to the basilic vein, they drain the C7 and C8 dermatomes. ** Deltoideopectoral nodes: Situated between the

pectoralis major The pectoralis major () is a thick, fan-shaped or triangular convergent muscle, situated at the chest of the human body. It makes up the bulk of the chest muscles and lies under the breast. Beneath the pectoralis major is the pectoralis minor, a ...

and deltoid muscles inferior to the clavicle. * Deep lymph nodes of the arm: These comprise the

axillary nodes The axillary lymph nodes or armpit lymph nodes are lymph nodes in the human armpit. Between 20 and 49 in number, they drain lymph vessels from the lateral quadrants of the breast, the superficial lymph vessels from thin walls of the chest and th ...

, which are 20-30 individual nodes and can be subdivided into: ** Lateral nodes ** Anterior or pectoral nodes ** Posterior or subscapular nodes ** Central or intermediate nodes ** Medial or subclavicular nodes

Lower limbs

Superficial inguinal lymph nodes Inguinal lymph nodes are lymph nodes in the human groin. Located in the femoral triangle of the inguinal region, they are grouped into superficial and deep lymph nodes. The superficial have three divisions: the superomedial, superolateral, and in ...

Deep inguinal lymph nodes Inguinal lymph nodes are lymph nodes in the human groin. Located in the femoral triangle of the inguinal region, they are grouped into superficial and deep lymph nodes. The superficial have three divisions: the superomedial, superolateral, and in ...

Popliteal lymph nodes The popliteal lymph nodes, small in size and some six or seven in number, are embedded in the fat contained in the popliteal fossa, sometimes referred to as the 'knee pit'. One lies immediately beneath the popliteal fascia, near the terminal part ...

Distribution

The lymphatic vessels that link the lymph nodes are: * The lymphatics of the head, face, neck, and

meningeal lymphatic vessels The meningeal lymphatic vessels (or meningeal lymphatics) are a network of conventional lymphatic vessels located parallel to the dural venous sinuses and middle meningeal arteries of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). As a part of the lym ...

– drain to the deep cervical lymph nodes * The jugular trunk * The

subclavian lymph trunk The efferent vessels of the subclavicular group unite to form the subclavian trunk, which opens either directly into the junction of the internal jugular and subclavian veins or into the jugular lymphatic trunk; on the left side it may end in the ...

* The thoracic duct * The lymphatics of the upper extremity * The right and left bronchomediastinal lymph trunks * The lymphatics of the lower extremity * The lymphatics of the abdomen and

pelvis The pelvis (plural pelves or pelvises) is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the thighs (sometimes also called pelvic region), together with its embedded skeleton (sometimes also called bony pelvis, or pelvic skeleton). The ...

* The lymphatic vessels of the thorax {{DEFAULTSORT:Lymphatic vessels of the human body

Vessels Vessel(s) or The Vessel may refer to: Biology *Blood vessel, a part of the circulatory system and function to transport blood throughout the body *Lymphatic vessel, a thin walled, valved structure that carries lymph *Vessel element, a narrow wat ...

Lists of human anatomical features