Inferior deep lateral cervical nodes

At a glance

English

Inferior deep lateral cervical nodes

Latin (TA2)

Nodi cervicales laterales profundi inferiores

System

Lymphatic

Region

Neck

Side

Paired, left and right

About the inferior deep lateral cervical nodes

The inferior deep lateral cervical nodes are the lower half of the deep lateral cervical chain, the line of nodes that follows the internal jugular vein through the neck. They begin where the intermediate tendon of omohyoid crosses the vein and continue down to the root of the neck. Some of them spread backwards beyond the edge of sternocleidomastoid into the lower posterior triangle and the supraclavicular fossa, alongside the brachial plexus and the transverse cervical vessels.

Named members include the jugulo-omohyoid node, which lies on the vein just above or at the crossing of omohyoid, and nodes placed in front of and lateral to the vein.

This group is the end station for lymph of the whole head and neck. It receives the outflow of the superior deep cervical nodes, lymph from the lower neck, and lymph from the back of the scalp and neck passing through the occipital and superficial lateral nodes. The jugulo-omohyoid node is a main station for the tongue, especially its tip. The efferent vessels form the jugular lymph trunk, which ends at the junction of the internal jugular and subclavian veins, joining the thoracic duct on the left or the right lymphatic duct on the right, or opening directly into the vein.

Enlargement here may reflect cancer of the tongue, pharynx, larynx or thyroid, lymphoma, or tuberculosis. Because the lowest nodes sit beside the venous angle, a hard left-sided node in this area can also be a sign of cancer spreading upward from the abdomen along the thoracic duct.

Course and drainage

Begins at

Afferent vessels from the superior deep cervical nodes, the lower neck, the tongue (via the jugulo-omohyoid node), and the back of the scalp and neck.

Drains into

Efferent vessels form the jugular lymph trunk, ending at the venous angle, into the thoracic duct on the left and the right lymphatic duct on the right, or straight into the vein.

Drains

The final filter for lymph of the head and neck. Its enlargement points to cancers of the tongue, pharynx, larynx or thyroid, to lymphoma or tuberculosis, and on the left can signal abdominal cancer.