16th February 2024

Lymphatic drainage

The thoracic duct brings the lymph from the lower half and the left side of the upper half of the body. It starts from the cisterna chyli at the level of L1; it is initially to the right of the midline in the thorax but then crosses the midline to the left at T4-6 and drains at the origin of the left brachiocephalic vein. The lymph drainage from the right upper half of the body is via the right lymphatic duct, which drains at the origin of the right brachiocephalic vein.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (2013). 2203 Lymphatic Trunks and Ducts System, Licensed under a creative commons licence. Available for free at: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/2203_Lymphatic_Trunks_and_Ducts_System.jpg (Accessed: 9 January 2024).