Thyrocervical trunk

The thyrocervical trunk is a branch of the subclavian artery arising from the first portion of this vessel, i.e. between the origin of the subclavian artery and the inner border of the scalenus anterior muscle. It is located distally to the vertebral artery and proximally to the costocervical trunk.

Thyrocervical trunk
Superficial dissection of the right side of the neck, showing the carotid and subclavian arteries.
Details
SourceSubclavian
BranchesInferior thyroid
Suprascapular
Transverse cervical
Ascending cervical artery
Identifiers
LatinTruncus thyreocervicalis
TAA12.2.08.042
FMA3990
Anatomical terminology

Branches

It is a short and thick vessel and it divides soon after its origin into four branches:

The transverse cervical artery is present in about 1/3rd of cases. In the rest, the dorsal scapular and superficial cervical arteries arise separately.[1]

The suprascapular artery and transverse cervical artery both head laterally and cross in front of (anterior to) the scalenus anterior muscle and the phrenic nerve. The inferior thyroid artery runs superiorly from the thyrocervical trunk to the inferior portion of the thyroid gland.

These branches explain the alternative name for this blood vessel: the "truncus thyrobicervicoscapularis".

Additional images
  • The internal mammary artery and its branches.

References
  1. Essentials of human anatomy Head and neck A.K. Dutta 5th Edition p94


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