Scalenus anterior muscle
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
V, Bell D, Hacking C, et al. Scalenus anterior muscle. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 21 Mar 2025) https://radiopaedia.org/articles/12651
DOI:
-
rID:
12651
Article created:
28 Dec 2010,
Vijay
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Vijay had no recorded disclosures.
View Vijay's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures
Revisions:
16 times, by
8 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Scalenus anterior
- Anterior scalene muscle
- Anterior scalene
The scalenus anterior (also known as anterior scalene) muscle is a neck muscle, one of the three scalene muscles and known as the "key" structure for the thoracic inlet as it is an important anatomical landmark.
Summary
- origin: transverse processes of 3rd to 6th cervical vertebrae
- insertion: inner border of first rib (scalene tubercle)
- blood supply: ascending cervical artery
- innervation: ventral rami of cervical nerves (C4, C5 and C6) from the cervical plexus and occasionally C3
-
action
- raises first rib (inspiration)
- adjunct: neck rotation/flexion
- note: this muscle is covered by prevertebral fascia
Gross anatomy
Relations
- anteriorly
- posteriorly
- second portion of subclavian artery (which is divided in three parts by the muscle)
- scalenus medius muscle: the space between them is the scalene triangle
- anterior rami of C3-T1
- medially
- common carotid artery, first portion of subclavian artery, thyrocervical trunk, vertebral artery and vein
- stellate ganglion
- thoracic duct (left) or right lymphatic duct (right)
- laterally
- trunks of brachial plexus
- third portion of the subclavian artery
Quiz questions
References
- 1. Stone RJ, Stone JA. Atlas of skeletal muscles. McGraw-Hill Companies. (2003) ISBN:0071199012. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Last's anatomy, regional and applied. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:044304662X. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically oriented anatomy. LWW. ISBN:1451119453. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Subclavian artery
- Thoracic duct
- Scalene muscles
- Interscalene brachial plexus block
- Longus colli muscle
- Costocervical trunk
- Scalene triangle
- Perivertebral space
- Brachial plexus
- Axillary vein
- Thoracic outlet syndrome
- Thyrocervical trunk
- Typical ribs
- Phrenic nerve
- Scalenus medius muscle
- Supraclavicular brachial plexus block (ultrasound)
- Colliscalene triangle
- Posterior triangle of the neck
- Carotid tubercle
- Ribs
Cases:
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Anatomy: Head and neck
- skeleton of the head and neck
-
cranial vault
- scalp (mnemonic)
- fontanelle
-
sutures
- calvarial
- facial
- frontozygomatic suture
- frontomaxillary suture
- frontolacrimal suture
- frontonasal suture
- temporozygomatic suture
- zygomaticomaxillary suture
- parietotemporal suture (parietomastoid suture)
- occipitotemporal suture (occipitomastoid suture)
- sphenofrontal suture
- sphenozygomatic suture
- spheno-occipital suture (not a true suture)
- lacrimomaxillary suture
- nasomaxillary suture
- internasal suture
- basal/internal
- skull landmarks
- frontal bone
- temporal bone
- parietal bone
- occipital bone
- skull base (foramina)
-
facial bones
- midline single bones
- paired bilateral bones
- cervical spine
- hyoid bone
- laryngeal cartilages
-
cranial vault
- muscles of the head and neck
- muscles of the tongue (mnemonic)
- muscles of mastication
-
facial muscles
- epicranius muscle
- circumorbital and palpebral muscles
- nasal muscles
-
buccolabial muscles
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- levator labii superioris alaeque nasalis muscle
- levator labii superioris muscle
- zygomaticus major muscle
- zygomaticus minor muscle
- levator anguli oris muscle
- malaris muscle
- risorius muscle
- depressors, retractors and evertors of the lower lip
- depressor labii inferioris muscle
- depressor anguli oris muscle
- mentalis muscle
- compound sphincter
-
orbicularis oris muscle
- incisivus labii superioris muscle
- incisivus labii inferioris muscle
-
orbicularis oris muscle
- muscle of mastication
- modiolus
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- muscles of the middle ear
- orbital muscles
- muscles of the soft palate
- pharyngeal muscles
- suprahyoid muscles
- infrahyoid muscles
- intrinsic muscles of the larynx
- muscles of the neck
- platysma muscle
- longus colli muscle
- longus capitis muscle
- scalenus anterior muscle
- scalenus medius muscle
- scalenus posterior muscle
- scalenus pleuralis muscle
- sternocleidomastoid muscle
-
suboccipital muscles
- rectus capitis posterior major muscle
- rectus capitis posterior minor muscle
- obliquus capitis superior muscle
- obliquus capitis inferior muscle
- accessory muscles of the neck
- deep cervical fascia
-
deep spaces of the neck
- anterior cervical space
- buccal space
- carotid space
- danger space
- deep cervical fascia
- infratemporal fossa
- masticator space
- parapharyngeal space
- stylomandibular tunnel
- parotid space
- pharyngeal (superficial) mucosal space
- perivertebral space
- posterior cervical space
- pterygopalatine fossa
- retropharyngeal space
- suprasternal space (of Burns)
- visceral space
- surgical triangles of the neck
- orbit
- ear
- paranasal sinuses
- upper respiratory tract
- viscera of the neck
- blood supply of the head and neck
-
arterial supply
-
common carotid artery
- carotid body
- carotid bifurcation
- subclavian artery
- variants
-
common carotid artery
- venous drainage
-
arterial supply
- innervation of the head and neck
-
cranial nerves
- olfactory nerve (CN I)
- optic nerve (CN II)
- oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- trochlear nerve (CN IV)
-
trigeminal nerve (CN V) (mnemonic)
- trigeminal ganglion
- ophthalmic division
- maxillary division
- mandibular division
- abducens nerve (CN VI)
- facial nerve (CN VII)
-
vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
- vestibular ganglion (Scarpa's ganglion)
- glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
- vagus nerve (CN X)
- (spinal) accessory nerve (CN XI)
- hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
- parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck
- cervical sympathetic ganglia
- greater occipital nerve
- third occipital nerve
-
cervical plexus
- muscular branches
- longus capitis
- longus colli
- scalenes
- geniohyoid
- thyrohyoid
-
ansa cervicalis
- omohyoid (superior and inferior bellies separately)
- sternothyroid
- sternohyoid
- phrenic nerve
- contribution to the accessory nerve (CN XI)
- cutaneous branches
- muscular branches
- brachial plexus
- pharyngeal plexus
-
cranial nerves
- lymphatic drainage of the head and neck
- embryological development of the head and neck
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