External jugular vein
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Hacking C, Carpenter G, et al. External jugular vein. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 07 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-24266
Permalink:
rID:
24266
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures
Revisions:
14 times, by
8 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- External jugular vein (EJV)
- External jugular veins
The external jugular vein (EJV) drains the head, face and part of the scapular region.
Gross anatomy
Origin
The posterior division of the retromandibular vein and posterior auricular vein unite within the parotid gland to form the external jugular vein, at the angle of the mandible.
Course
It courses inferiorly in the subcutaneous anterolateral neck, deep to platysma but superficial to sternocleidomastoid, before piercing the deep cervical fascia (usually) posterior to the clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid. Here it drains directly into the subclavian vein.
Tributaries
A handy mnemonic to recall these is PAST.
References
- 1. Whitaker RH, Borley NR. Instant anatomy. Wiley-Blackwell. (2000) ISBN:0632054034. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Liu PS. Normal MRI anatomy from head to toe. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2011;19 (3): xiii-xiv. doi:10.1016/j.mric.2011.05.016 - Pubmed citation
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Superior auricular muscle
- Posterior auricular muscle
- Thoracic duct
- Posterior auricular vein
- Platysma muscle
- Anterior jugular vein
- Suprascapular vein
- Superficial cervical fascia
- Posterior external jugular vein
- Helicis major muscle
- Penetrating traumatic neck injury
- Anterior auricular muscle
- Tragicus muscle
- Superficial cervical plexus nerve block (ultrasound)
- Supraclavicular nerves
- Retromandibular vein
- External jugular vein tributaries (mnemonic)
- Helicis minor muscle
- Sternocleidomastoid muscle
- Parotid gland
Cases:
- Temporal subcutaneous high-flow arteriovenous malformation
- External jugular vein pseudoaneurysm
- Neck veins (Gray's illustration)
- External jugular vein pseudoaneurysm
- Truncal venous development (Gray's illustration)
- Phlebectasia of external jugular vein
- Peritonsillar and neck cellulitis - Lemierre syndrome
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