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Thyrocervical trunk

Last revised by Francis Deng ◉ on 25 Feb 2024

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Hacking C, Deng F, Murphy A, et al. Thyrocervical trunk. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 10 Dec 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-49096

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-49096

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/49096

rID:

49096

Article created:

9 Nov 2016, Craig Hacking ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.

View Craig Hacking's current disclosures

Last revised:

25 Feb 2024, Francis Deng ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Francis Deng had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Francis Deng's current disclosures

Revisions:

11 times, by 7 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Vascular, Head & Neck

Sections:

Anatomy

Synonyms:

thyrocervical artery

The thyrocervical trunk is one of the 3 branches of the first part of the subclavian artery and gives off numerous branches to supply viscera of the neck, the brachial plexus, neck muscles, and the scapular anastomosis.

Gross anatomy

Origin

The trunk arises lateral to the vertebral artery from the anterosuperior wall of the subclavian artery adjacent to the anterior scalene muscle in the lower anterior neck.

Course

Ascends as a short, stout trunk before giving rise to three branches.

Branches

inferior thyroid artery is the largest and most important branch of the trunk
- it ascends medial and posterior to the lower pole of the thyroid gland superficial to the pretracheal fascia
- sends multiple small branches through the pretracheal fascia to supply the larynx, trachea, esophagus, and thyroid and parathyroid glands, as well as adjacent muscles, hence is known as the primary visceral artery of the neck
transverse cervical artery is a short artery that further bifurcates into the superficial and deep branches, both which course superficially and laterally across the phrenic nerve and anterior scalene muscle; they then cross or pass through the trunks of the brachial plexus, supplying branches to their vasa nervorum. Its branches are:
- the superficial cervical artery which passes anterior to the trapezius muscle adjacent to the spinal accessory nerve (CN XI)
- the dorsal scapular artery which accompanies the dorsal scapular nerve, coursing deep to the levator scapulae and rhomboid muscles, supplying both and contributing to the scapular arterial anastomoses
suprascapular artery traverses inferiorly and laterally superficial to the anterior scalene muscle and phrenic nerve before crossing the third part of the subclavian artery and the cords of the brachial plexus
- it then courses posterior to the clavicle to supply the posterior scapular muscles, where it anastomoses with the rich scapular arterial plexus (scapular anastomosis).
- may arise directly from the third part of the subclavian artery

Variant anatomy

the inferior thyroid artery arises from the subclavian artery in 15% of the population ⁴, in which case it may be known as the accessory inferior thyroid artery
the ascending cervical artery arises from the thyrocervical trunk in 11% of the population rather than as a branch of the inferior thyroid artery ⁵
the suprascapular artery may arise directly from the third part of the subclavian artery
the transverse cervical artery may arise directly from the second or third part of the subclavian artery

References

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