The occipital lymph nodes, one to three in number, are located on the back of the head close to the margin of the

trapezius The trapezius is a large paired trapezoid-shaped surface muscle that extends longitudinally from the occipital bone to the lower thoracic vertebrae of the human spine, spine and laterally to the spine of the scapula. It moves the scapula and ...

and resting on the insertion of the . Their afferent vessels drain the occipital region of the

scalp The scalp is the area of the head where head hair grows. It is made up of skin, layers of connective and fibrous tissues, and the membrane of the skull. Anatomically, the scalp is part of the epicranium, a collection of structures covering th ...

, while their efferents pass to the superior deep cervical glands.

Additional images

File:Lymph node regions.svg

Etymology

The word ''occipital'' comes from the ("the back of the head").

References

External links

* ()
http://www.patient.info
* http://www.emedicine.com/ent/topic306.htm#section~anatomy_of_the_cervical_lymphatics Lymphatics of the head and neck {{lymphatic-stub