Pectoralis minor muscle
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Tao W, Campos A, et al. Pectoralis minor muscle. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 28 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-23254
rID:
23254
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 Henry Knipe had the following disclosures:
- Micro-X Ltd, Shareholder (past)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Revisions:
17 times, by
12 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
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Synonyms:
- Pectoralis minor muscle
- Pec minor muscle
The pectoralis minor muscle is a muscle of the pectoral region lying deep to and completely covered by the pectoralis major muscle. It is an important anatomical landmark in two senses:
it arbitrarily divides the axillary artery into three parts
it arbitrarily divides the axillary lymph nodes into three levels
Summary
origin: anterior 3rd-5th ribs near the costal cartilage
insertion: medial and upper aspect of the coracoid process of the scapula
innervation: medial and lateral pectoral nerves (from nerve roots C6-C8)
arterial supply: thoracoacromial, superior thoracic and lateral thoracic arteries
-
action
depresses and protracts shoulder
when the scapula is fixed, elevation of the 3rd-5th ribs
Variant anatomy
pre-fixed origin: ribs 2-4
post-fixed origin: ribs 4-6
absence: seen in Poland syndrome
-
anomalous insertion into the glenohumeral joint capsule (rare) 5
associated with absence of the coracohumeral ligament 5
Quiz questions
error
References
- 1. Michael Schünke, Lawrence M. Ross, Erik Schulte et al. General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System. (2010) ISBN: 9781604062922 - Google Books
- 2. Last, R. J., McMinn, R. M. H.. Last's Anatomy, Regional and Applied. (1994) ISBN: 044304662X - Google Books
- 3. Keith L. Moore, Arthur F. Dalley, A. M. R. Agur. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. (2013) ISBN: 9781451119459 - Google Books
- 4. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. (2008) ISBN: 9780443066849 - Google Books
- 5. Lee S, Ha D, Lee S. Unusual Variation of the Rotator Interval: Insertional Abnormality of the Pectoralis Minor Tendon and Absence of the Coracohumeral Ligament. Skeletal Radiol. 2010;39(12):1205-9. doi:10.1007/s00256-010-0926-0 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Scapular retraction
- Poland syndrome
- Scapular elevation
- Lateral pectoral nerve
- Clavipectoral fascia
- Axillary vein
- Thoracic outlet syndrome
- Typical ribs
- Axillary artery
- Medial pectoral nerve
- Ribs
- Axilla
- Scapula
- Thoracoacromial artery
- Interpectoral lymph node
- Coracoid process
- Suspensory ligament of the axilla
- Accessory muscles of respiration
- Axillary lymph nodes
- Pectoral region
Cases:
- Pectoralis major injury
- Poland syndrome
- Pectoral muscles (Gray's illustration)
- Pectoralis major injury
- Chest wall angiolipoma
- Partial rupture of pectoralis major muscle
- Pectoralis major muscle abscess
- Positional compression of the left axillary artery by the pectoralis minor muscle
- Axillary lymph node anatomy
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Anatomy: Upper limb
-
skeleton of the upper limb
- clavicle
- scapula
- humerus
- radius
- ulna
- hand
- accessory ossicles of the upper limb
- accessory ossicles of the shoulder
- accessory ossicles of the elbow
-
accessory ossicles of the wrist (mnemonic)
- os centrale carpi
- os epilunate
- os epitriquetrum
- os styloideum
- os hamuli proprium
- lunula
- os triangulare
- trapezium secondarium
- os paratrapezium
- os radiostyloideum (persistent radial styloid)
- joints of the upper limb
-
pectoral girdle
-
shoulder joint
- articulations
- associated structures
- joint capsule
- bursae
- ligaments
- movements
- scapulothoracic joint
-
glenohumeral joint
- arm flexion
- arm extension
- arm abduction
- arm adduction
- arm internal rotation (medial rotation)
- arm external rotation (lateral rotation)
- circumduction
- arterial supply - scapular anastomosis
- ossification centres
-
shoulder joint
-
elbow joint
- proximal radioulnar joint
- ligaments
- associated structures
- movements
- alignment
- arterial supply - elbow anastomosis
- development
-
wrist joint
- articulations
-
ligaments
- intrinsic ligaments
- extrinsic ligaments
- radioscaphoid ligament
- dorsal intercarpal ligament
- dorsal radiotriquetral ligament
- dorsal radioulnar ligament
- volar radioulnar ligament
- radioscaphocapitate ligament
- long radiolunate ligament
- Vickers ligament
- short radiolunate ligament
- ulnolunate ligament
- ulnotriquetral ligament
- ulnocapitate ligament
- ulnar collateral ligament
- associated structures
- extensor retinaculum
- flexor retinaculum
- joint capsule
- movements
- alignment
- ossification centres
-
hand joints
- articulations
- carpometacarpal joint
-
metacarpophalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
-
interphalangeal joints
- palmar ligament (plate)
- collateral ligament
- movements
- ossification centres
- articulations
-
pectoral girdle
- spaces of the upper limb
- muscles of the upper limb
- shoulder girdle
- anterior compartment of the arm
- posterior compartment of the arm
-
anterior compartment of the forearm
- superficial
- intermediate
- deep
-
posterior compartment of the forearm (extensors)
- superficial
- deep
- muscles of the hand
-
accessory muscles
- elbow
- volar wrist midline
- palmaris longus profundus
- aberrant palmaris longus
- volar wrist radial-side
- accessory flexor digitorum superficialis indicis
- flexor indicis profundus
- flexor carpi radialis vel profundus
- accessory head of the flexor pollicis longus (Gantzer muscle, common)
- volar wrist ulnar-side
- dorsal wrist
- blood supply to the upper limb
-
arteries
- subclavian artery (mnemonic)
- axillary artery
- brachial artery (proximal portion)
- ulnar artery
- radial artery
- veins
-
arteries
- innervation of the upper limb
- intercostobrachial nerve
-
brachial plexus (mnemonic)
- branches from the roots
- branches from the trunks
- branches from the cords
- lateral cord
- posterior cord
- medial cord
- terminal branches
- lymphatic drainage of the upper limb
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