axilla
Meaning of axilla: The axilla is the anatomical region under the arm where it meets the shoulder, containing lymph nodes, vessels, and nerves.
Definition of axilla
The axilla is the region of the body commonly known as the armpit, located where the arm joins the shoulder and chest wall. It contains a group of lymph nodes, along with major blood vessels and nerves that supply the arm, all situated within a space bounded by muscle and connective tissue.
The axillary lymph nodes are of particular clinical interest because they are often among the first sites to which cancer cells from the breast or arm can spread, making examination or sampling of these nodes an important part of evaluating and staging certain cancers.
The axilla is also a common site for measuring body temperature and for administering certain injections, given its accessibility and relatively thin overlying tissue.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
A palpable axillary lymph node was noted during the physical examination.
Good to know
Axillary lymph node findings are interpreted together with the primary site of disease, since enlargement in this region can result from infection or other benign causes as well as from cancer spread.
Word origin
Where “axilla” comes from
From Latin axilla, meaning "armpit."