A
lymph node is a small ball or an oval-shaped organ of the
immune systemAn immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
, distributed widely throughout the body including the armpit and stomach/gut and linked by
lymphatic vesselsIn anatomy, lymph vessels are thin walled, valved structures that carry lymph. As part of the lymphatic system, lymph vessels are complementary to the cardiovascular system. Lymph vessels are lined by endothelial cells, and deep to that have a thin layer of smooth muscles, and adventitia that bind...
. Lymph nodes are garrisons of
BB cells are lymphocytes that play a large role in the humoral immune response . The principal functions of B cells are to make antibodies against antigens, perform the role of antigen-presenting cells and eventually develop into memory B cells after activation by antigen interaction...
,
TT cells or T lymphocytes belong to a group of white blood cells known as lymphocytes, and play a central role in cell-mediated immunity. They can be distinguished from other lymphocytes, such as B cells and natural killer cells , by the presence of a T cell receptor on the cell surface. They are...
, and other
immune cellsWhite blood cells, or leukocytes , are cells of the immune system involved in defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials. Five different and diverse types of leukocytes exist, but they are all produced and derived from a multipotent cell in the bone marrow known as a...
. Lymph nodes are found all through the body, and act as filters or traps for foreign particles. They are important in the proper functioning of the immune system. They are packed tightly with the
white blood cellWhite blood cells, or leukocytes , are cells of the immune system involved in defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials. Five different and diverse types of leukocytes exist, but they are all produced and derived from a multipotent cell in the bone marrow known as a...
s called
lymphocyteA lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell in the vertebrate immune system.Under the microscope, lymphocytes can be divided into large lymphocytes and small lymphocytes. Large granular lymphocytes include natural killer cells...
s and macrophages.
Lymph nodes also have clinical significance. They become inflamed or enlarged in various conditions, which may range from trivial, such as a
throat infectionPharyngitis is an inflammation of the throat or pharynx. In most cases it is quite painful, and is the most common cause of a sore throat.Like many types of inflammation, pharyngitis can be acute – characterized by a rapid onset and typically a relatively short course – or chronic....
, to life-threatening such as
cancerCancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
s. In the latter, the condition of lymph nodes is so significant that it is used for
cancer stagingThe stage of a cancer is a description of the extent the cancer has spread. The stage often takes into account the size of a tumor, how deeply it has penetrated, whether it has invaded adjacent organs, how many lymph nodes it has metastasized to , and whether it has spread to distant organs...
, which decides the treatment to be employed, and for determining the
prognosisPrognosis is a medical term to describe the likely outcome of an illness.When applied to large statistical populations, prognostic estimates can be very accurate: for example the statement "45% of patients with severe septic shock will die within 28 days" can be made with some confidence, because...
.
Lymph nodes can also be diagnosed by
biopsyA biopsy is a medical test involving sampling of cells or tissues for examination. It is the medical removal of tissue from a living subject to determine the presence or extent of a disease. The tissue is generally examined under a microscope by a pathologist, and can also be analyzed chemically...
whenever they are inflamed. Certain diseases affect lymph nodes with characteristic consistency and location.
Function
The lymph nodes filter and monitor the
lymphLymph is considered a part of the interstitial fluid, the fluid which lies in the interstices of all body tissues. Interstitial fluid becomes lymph when it enters a lymph capillary...
, an
interstitial fluidInterstitial fluid is a solution that bathes and surrounds the cells of multicellular animals. It is the main component of the extracellular fluid, which also includes plasma and transcellular fluid...
, for foreign particles. These foreign particles commonly known as
pathogenA pathogen gignomai "I give birth to") or infectious agent — colloquially, a germ — is a microbe or microorganism such as a virus, bacterium, prion, or fungus that causes disease in its animal or plant host...
s, or germs, can set up
infectionAn infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
s anywhere in the body. The lymph fluid inside of the lymph nodes contains
lymphocyteA lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell in the vertebrate immune system.Under the microscope, lymphocytes can be divided into large lymphocytes and small lymphocytes. Large granular lymphocytes include natural killer cells...
s, a type of
white blood cellWhite blood cells, or leukocytes , are cells of the immune system involved in defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials. Five different and diverse types of leukocytes exist, but they are all produced and derived from a multipotent cell in the bone marrow known as a...
, which are continuously recirculated through the lymph nodes and the bloodstream. A germ, such as
bacteriaBacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
, will produce a chemical substance called an
antigenAn antigen is a foreign molecule that, when introduced into the body, triggers the production of an antibody by the immune system. The immune system will then kill or neutralize the antigen that is recognized as a foreign and potentially harmful invader. These invaders can be molecules such as...
which circulates through the bloodstream, the lymph system, and into lymph nodes. In response to the antigens, the lymphocytes in the lymph node make an
antibodyAn antibody, also known as an immunoglobulin, is a large Y-shaped protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique part of the foreign target, termed an antigen...
which will go out of the lymph node into circulation, seek, and destroy the infection producing the antigen. Other
immune systemAn immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
cells will be made to fight the infection and "sent" to the lymph nodes. The increased numbers of immune system cells fighting the infection will make the node expand and become "swollen."
Structure
The lymph node is surrounded by a fibrous
capsuleThe lymph node capsule is composed of dense irregular connective tissue with some plain muscle fibers, and from its internal surface are given off a number of membranous processes or trabeculæ, consisting, in man, of connective tissue, with a small admixture of plain muscle fibers; but in many of...
, and inside the lymph node the fibrous capsule extends to form trabeculae. The substance of the lymph node is divided into the outer cortex and the inner medulla surrounded by the cortex all around except for at the hilum, where the medulla comes in direct contact with the surface.
Thin reticular fibers,
elastinElastin is a protein in connective tissue that is elastic and allows many tissues in the body to resume their shape after stretching or contracting. Elastin helps skin to return to its original position when it is poked or pinched. Elastin is also an important load-bearing tissue in the bodies of...
and
reticular fiberReticular fibers or reticulin is a histological term used to describe a type of fiber in connective tissue composed of type III collagen. Reticular fibers crosslink to form a fine meshwork...
s form a supporting meshwork called
reticular network (RN) inside the node, within which the
white blood cellWhite blood cells, or leukocytes , are cells of the immune system involved in defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials. Five different and diverse types of leukocytes exist, but they are all produced and derived from a multipotent cell in the bone marrow known as a...
s (WBCs), the most prominent ones being lymphocytes, are tightly packed as follicles in the cortex. Elsewhere, there are only occasional WBCs. The RN provides not just the structural support, but also will provide surface for adhesion of the
dendritic cellDendritic cells are immune cells forming part of the mammalian immune system. Their main function is to process antigen material and present it on the surface to other cells of the immune system. That is, dendritic cells function as antigen-presenting cells...
s,
macrophageMacrophages are cells produced by the differentiation of monocytes in tissues. Human macrophages are about in diameter. Monocytes and macrophages are phagocytes. Macrophages function in both non-specific defense as well as help initiate specific defense mechanisms of vertebrate animals...
s and lymphocytes. It allows for exchange of material with blood through the
high endothelial venulesHigh endothelial venules are specialized post-capillary venous swellings characterized by plump endothelial cells as opposed to the usual thiner endothelial cells found in regular venules...
and provides the growth and regulatory factors necessary for activation and maturation of immune cells.
The number and composition of follicles can change especially when challenged by an
antigenAn antigen is a foreign molecule that, when introduced into the body, triggers the production of an antibody by the immune system. The immune system will then kill or neutralize the antigen that is recognized as a foreign and potentially harmful invader. These invaders can be molecules such as...
, when they develop a
germinal centerGerminal centers are sites within lymph nodes where mature B lymphocytes rapidly proliferate, differentiate, mutate their antibodies , and class switch their antibodies during a normal immune response to an infection...
.
A lymph sinus is a channel within the lymph node lined by the endothelial cells along with fibroblastic reticular cells and allows for smooth flow of lymph through them. Thus, subcapsular sinus is a sinus immediately deep to the capsule, and its endothelium is continuous with that of the afferent lymph vessel. It is also continuous with similar sinuses flanking the trabeculae and within the cortex (cortical sinuses). The cortical sinuses and that flanking the trabeculae drain into the
medullary sinuses, from where the lymph flows into the efferent lymph vessel.
Multiple
afferent lymph vesselThe afferent lymph vessels enter at all parts of the periphery of the lymph node, and after branching and forming a dense plexus in the substance of the capsule, open into the lymph sinuses of the cortical part...
s that branch and network extensively within the capsule bring lymph into the lymph node. This lymph enters the subcapsular sinus. The innermost lining of the afferent lymph vessels is continuous with the cells lining the lymph sinuses. The lymph gets slowly filtered through the substance of the lymph node and ultimately reaches the medulla. In its course it encounters the lymphocytes and may lead to their activation as a part of
adaptive immune responseThe adaptive immune system is composed of highly specialized, systemic cells and processes that eliminate or prevent pathogenic growth. Thought to have arisen in the first jawed vertebrates, the adaptive or "specific" immune system is activated by the “non-specific” and evolutionarily older innate...
.
The concave side of the lymph node is called the
hilumThe Hilum of lymph node is the concave portion of the lymph node where the efferent vessels exit....
. The efferent attaches to the hilum by a relatively dense reticulum present there, and carries the lymph out of the lymph node.
Cortex
In the cortex, the
subcapsular sinusThe subcapsular sinus is a region within the lymph node immediately deep to the capsule that contains relatively sparse lymphocytes. It thus allows lymph to flow freely through it....
drains to
trabecular sinusesIn the renal cortex, the subcapsular sinus drains to trabecular sinuses. Lymph then flows into the medullary sinuses....
, and then the lymph flows into the medullary sinuses.
The outer cortex consists mainly of the
B cellB cells are lymphocytes that play a large role in the humoral immune response . The principal functions of B cells are to make antibodies against antigens, perform the role of antigen-presenting cells and eventually develop into memory B cells after activation by antigen interaction...
s arranged as follicles, which may develop a germinal center when challenged with an antigen, and the deeper cortex mainly consisting of the
T cellT cells or T lymphocytes belong to a group of white blood cells known as lymphocytes, and play a central role in cell-mediated immunity. They can be distinguished from other lymphocytes, such as B cells and natural killer cells , by the presence of a T cell receptor on the cell surface. They are...
s. There is a zone known as the subcortical zone where T-cells (or cells that are mainly red) mainly interact with dendritic cells, and where the reticular network is dense.
Medulla
There are two named structures in the medulla:
- The medullary cords are cords of lymphatic tissue, and include plasma cell
Plasma cells, also called plasma B cells, plasmocytes, and effector B cells, are white blood cells which produce large volumes of antibodies. They are transported by the blood plasma and the lymphatic system...
s, macrophages, and B cellB cells are lymphocytes that play a large role in the humoral immune response . The principal functions of B cells are to make antibodies against antigens, perform the role of antigen-presenting cells and eventually develop into memory B cells after activation by antigen interaction...
s
- The medullary sinuses (or sinusoids) are vessel-like spaces separating the medullary cords. The Lymph flows into the medullary sinuses from cortical sinuses, and into efferent lymphatic vessels. Medullary sinuses contain histiocyte
A histiocyte is a cell that is part of the mononuclear phagocyte system . The mononuclear phagocytic system is part of the organism's immune system...
s (immobile macrophages) and reticular cellA reticular cell is a type of fibroblast that synthesises type III collagen and uses it to produce reticular fibers. The cell surrounds the fibers with its cytoplasm, isolating it from other tissue components and cells....
s.
Shape and size
Human lymph nodes are bean-shaped and range in size from a few millimeters to about 1–2 cm in their normal state. They may become enlarged due to a tumor or infection, or inflamed due to
leukemiaLeukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. Lymphocytes, also known as white blood cells, are located within honeycomb structures of the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are enlarged when the body is infected, primarily because there is an elevated rate of trafficking of lymphocytes into the node from the blood, exceeding the rate of outflow from the node, and secondarily as a result of the activation and proliferation of antigen-specific T and B cells (clonal expansion). In some cases, they may feel enlarged because of a previous infection; although one may be healthy, one may still feel them residually enlarged.
Lymphatic circulation
LymphLymph is considered a part of the interstitial fluid, the fluid which lies in the interstices of all body tissues. Interstitial fluid becomes lymph when it enters a lymph capillary...
circulates to the lymph node via
afferent lymphatic vessels and drains into the node just beneath the capsule in a space called the
subcapsular sinusThe subcapsular sinus is a region within the lymph node immediately deep to the capsule that contains relatively sparse lymphocytes. It thus allows lymph to flow freely through it....
. The subcapsular sinus drains into trabecular sinuses and finally into medullary sinuses. The sinus space is criss-crossed by the
pseudopodPseudopods or pseudopodia are temporary projections of eukaryotic cells. Cells that possess this faculty are generally referred to as amoeboids. Pseudopodia extend and contract by the reversible assembly of actin subunits into microfilaments...
s of
macrophageMacrophages are cells produced by the differentiation of monocytes in tissues. Human macrophages are about in diameter. Monocytes and macrophages are phagocytes. Macrophages function in both non-specific defense as well as help initiate specific defense mechanisms of vertebrate animals...
s, which act to trap foreign particles and filter the lymph. The medullary sinuses converge at the hilum and lymph then leaves the lymph node via the
efferent lymphatic vessel towards either a more central lymph node or ultimately for drainage into a central
venous subclavian blood vesselThe subclavian veins are two large veins, one on either side of the body. Their diameter is approximately that of the smallest finger.-Path:Each subclavian vein is a continuation of the axillary vein and runs from the outer border of the first rib to the medial border of anterior scalene muscle...
, most via the postcapillary
venuleA venule is a very small blood vessel in the microcirculation that allows deoxygenated blood to return from the capillary beds to the larger blood vessels called veins. Venules range from 8 to 100μm in diameter and are formed when capillaries unite .Venules are blood vessels that drain blood...
s, and cross its wall by the process of diapedesis.
- The B cells migrate to the nodular cortex and medulla.
- The T cells migrate to the deep cortex ("paracortex").
When a lymphocyte recognizes an
antigenAn antigen is a foreign molecule that, when introduced into the body, triggers the production of an antibody by the immune system. The immune system will then kill or neutralize the antigen that is recognized as a foreign and potentially harmful invader. These invaders can be molecules such as...
, B cells become activated and migrate to
germinal centerGerminal centers are sites within lymph nodes where mature B lymphocytes rapidly proliferate, differentiate, mutate their antibodies , and class switch their antibodies during a normal immune response to an infection...
s (by definition, a "secondary nodule" has a germinal center, while a "primary nodule" does not). When antibody-producing plasma cells are formed, they migrate to the medullary cords. Stimulation of the lymphocytes by antigens can accelerate the migration process to about 10 times normal, resulting in characteristic swelling of the lymph nodes.
The
spleenThe spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...
and
tonsilPalatine tonsils, occasionally called the faucial tonsils, are the tonsils that can be seen on the left and right sides at the back of the throat....
s are large lymphoid organs that serve similar functions to lymph nodes, though the spleen filters blood cells rather than lymph.
Distribution
Humans have approximately 500-600 lymph nodes distributed throughout the body, with clusters found in the underarms, groin, neck, chest, and abdomen.
Lymph nodes of the head and neck
- Cervical lymph nodes
Cervical lymph nodes are lymph nodes found in the neck.-Classification:There are approximately 300 lymph nodes in the neck, and they can be classified in many different ways.Henri Rouvière produced an influential classification in 1938...
- Anterior cervical: These nodes, both superficial and deep, lie above and beneath the sternocleidomastoid muscles. They drain the internal structures of the throat
In vertebrate anatomy, the throat is the anterior part of the neck, in front of the vertebral column. It consists of the pharynx and larynx...
as well as part of the posterior pharynxThe human pharynx is the part of the throat situated immediately posterior to the mouth and nasal cavity, and anterior to the esophagus and larynx. The human pharynx is conventionally divided into three sections: the nasopharynx , the oropharynx , and the laryngopharynx...
, tonsilPalatine tonsils, occasionally called the faucial tonsils, are the tonsils that can be seen on the left and right sides at the back of the throat....
s, and thyroid gland.
- Posterior cervical: These nodes extend in a line posterior to the sternocleidomastoids but in front of the trapezius, from the level of the Mastoid portion of the temporal bone
The mastoid portion of the temporal bone forms the posterior part of the temporal bone.- Surfaces :Its outer surface is rough, and gives attachment to the Occipitalis and Auricularis posterior...
to the clavicleIn human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
. They are frequently enlarged during upper respiratory tract infectionUpper respiratory tract infections are the illnesses caused by an acute infection which involves the upper respiratory tract: nose, sinuses, pharynx or larynx...
s.
- Tonsillar OR Sub-mandibular: These nodes are located just below the angle of the mandible, along the underside of the jaw on either side. They drain the tonsillar and posterior pharyngeal region, including the structures in the floor of the mouth and the maxillary anterior, bicuspid and 1st and 2nd molars. They also drain all of the mandibular teeth except the central incisors.
Retropharyngeal: Drains lymph from the soft palate and the 3rd molars.
- Sub-mental: These nodes are just below the chin. They drain the central incisors and midline of lower lip and tip of the tongue.
- Supraclavicular lymph nodes
Supraclavicular lymph nodes are lymph nodes found superior to the clavicle, palpable in the supraclavicular fossa.The most notable supraclavicular lymph node is Virchow's node.-External links:* * http://www.med.mun.ca/anatomyts/head/hnl3a.htm...
: These nodes are in the hollow above the clavicle, just lateral to where it joins the sternum. They drain a part of the thoracic cavityThe thoracic cavity is the chamber of the human body that is protected by the thoracic wall ....
and abdomen. Virchow's nodeVirchow's node is a lymph node in the left supraclavicular fossa . It takes its supply from lymph vessels in the abdominal cavity...
is a left supraclavicular lymph node that receives the lymph drainage from most of the body (especially the abdomen) via the thoracic ductIn human anatomy, the thoracic duct of the lymphatic system is the largest lymphatic vessel in the body. It is also known as the left lymphatic duct, alimentary duct, chyliferous duct, and Van Hoorne's canal....
and is thus an early site of metastasisMetastasis, or metastatic disease , is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. It was previously thought that only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize; however, this is being reconsidered due to new research...
for various malignancies.
Lymph nodes of the thorax
- Lymph nodes of the lungs: The lymph is drained from the lung tissue through subsegmental, segmental, lobar and interlobar lymph nodes to the hilar lymph nodes, which are located around the hilum (the pedicle, which attaches the lung to the mediastinal structures, containing the pulmonary artery
The pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. They are the only arteries that carry deoxygenated blood....
, the pulmonary veins, the main bronchusA bronchus is a passage of airway in the respiratory tract that conducts air into the lungs. The bronchus branches into smaller tubes, which in turn become bronchioles....
for each side, some vegetative nerves and the lymphatics) of each lung. The lymph flows subsequently to the mediastinal lymph nodes.
- Mediastinal
The mediastinum is a non-delineated group of structures in the thorax, surrounded by loose connective tissue. It is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity...
lymph nodes: They consist of several lymph node groups, especially along the tracheaIn tetrapod anatomy the trachea, or windpipe, is a tube that connects the pharynx or larynx to the lungs, allowing the passage of air. It is lined with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium cells with goblet cells that produce mucus...
(5 groups), along the esophagusThe esophagus is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach...
and between the lungThe lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
and the diaphragmIn the anatomy of mammals, the thoracic diaphragm, or simply the diaphragm , is a sheet of internal skeletal muscle that extends across the bottom of the rib cage. The diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity and performs an important function in respiration...
. In the mediastinal lymph nodes arises lymphatic ducts, which draines the lymph to the left subclavian veinIn the circulatory system, veins are blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated blood to the heart...
(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
stomachThe stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...
. That fact facilitates spreading of tumors cells through these lymphatics in cases of cancers of the stomach and particularly of the esophagus.
Through the
mediastinumThe mediastinum is a non-delineated group of structures in the thorax, surrounded by loose connective tissue. It is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity...
, the main lymphatic drainage from the abdominal organs goes via the
thoracic ductIn human anatomy, the thoracic duct of the lymphatic system is the largest lymphatic vessel in the body. It is also known as the left lymphatic duct, alimentary duct, chyliferous duct, and Van Hoorne's canal....
(
ductus thoracicus), which drains majority of the lymph from the abdomen to the above mentioned left venous angle.
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 glands of the arm:
- Supratrochlear glands: Situated above the medial epicondyle of the humerus
The humerus is a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow....
, medial to the basilic veinIn human anatomy, the basilic vein is a large superficial vein of the upper limb that helps drain parts of hand and forearm. It originates on the medial side of the dorsal venous network of the hand, and it travels up the base of the forearm and arm...
, they drain the C7 and C8 dermatomeA dermatome is an area of skin that is mainly supplied by a single spinal nerve.There are eight cervical nerves ,twelve thoracic nerves,five lumbar nerves and five sacral nerves....
s.
- Deltoideopectoral glands: Situated between the pectoralis major and deltoid muscle
In human anatomy, the deltoid muscle is the muscle forming the rounded contour of the shoulder. Anatomically, it appears to be made up of three distinct sets of fibers though electromyography suggests that it consists of at least seven groups that can be independently coordinated by the central...
s inferior to the clavicleIn human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
.
- Deep lymph glands of the arm: These comprise the axillary glands, which are 20-30 individual glands and can be subdivided into:
- Lateral glands
- Anterior or pectoral glands
- Posterior or subscapular glands
- Central or intermediate glands
- Medial or subclavicular glands
Lower limbs
- Superficial inguinal lymph nodes
The superficial inguinal lymph nodes form a chain immediately below the inguinal ligament.They lie deep to Camper's fascia which overlies the femoral vessels at medial aspect of the thigh....
- Deep inguinal lymph nodes
The deep inguinal lymph nodes are located medial to the femoral vein and under the cribriform fascia. There are approximately 3 to 5 deep nodes...
- Popliteal lymph nodes
The popliteal lymph nodes, small in size and some six or seven in number, are imbedded in the fat contained in the popliteal fossa. One lies immediately beneath the popliteal fascia, near the terminal part of the small saphenous vein, and drains the region from which this vein derives its...
Pathology
Lymphadenopathy is a term meaning "disease of the lymph nodes." It is, however, almost synonymously used with "swollen/enlarged lymph nodes." In this case, the lymph nodes are palpable, and is a sign of various infections and diseases.
See also
- Adenitis
Adenitis is a general term for an inflammation of a gland or lymph node.-Lymph node adenitis:"Lymph adenitis" or "lymph node adenitis" is caused by bacterial infection in lymph nodes. The infected lymph nodes typically become enlarged, warm and tender. A swelling of lymph nodes due to growth of...
- List of hæmatological diseases and malignancies
- Lymphadenectomy
Lymphadenectomy consists of the surgical removal of one or more groups of lymph nodes. It is almost always performed as part of the surgical management of cancer....
- Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...