The mastoid lymph nodes (retroauricular lymph nodes or posterior auricular glands) are a small group of

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, usually two in number, located just beneath the ear, on the mastoid insertion of the sternocleidomastoideus muscle, beneath the

posterior auricular muscle The posterior auricular muscle is a muscle behind the auricle of the outer ear. It arises from the mastoid part of the temporal bone, and inserts into the lower part of the cranial surface of the auricle of the outer ear. It draws the auricle ba ...

. Their mastoid lymph nodes receives

lymph Lymph (from Latin, , meaning "water") is the fluid that flows through the lymphatic system, a system composed of lymph vessels (channels) and intervening lymph nodes whose function, like the venous system, is to return fluid from the tissues to ...

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 ear canal (external acoustic meatus, external auditory meatus, EAM) is a pathway running from the outer ear to the middle ear. The adult human ear canal extends from the pinna to the eardrum and is about in length and in diameter. Struc ...

. The lymph then passes to the superior deep cervical glands.

Etymology

The word ''mastoid'' comes from the grc, μάσταξ (, "mouth, jaws, that with which one chews").

References

External links

Diagram
at

Baylor College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is a medical school and research center in Houston, Texas, within the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest medical center. BCM is composed of four academic components: the School of Medicine, the Graduate Sc ...

(listed as "retroauricular") {{Portal bar, Anatomy Lymphatics of the head and neck