Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Thyrocervical trunk
Introduction
The thyrocervical trunk is a branch of the subclavian artery arising from the first portion of this vessel, i.e. between the origin and the inner border of the scalenus anterior muscle. It is located distally to the vertebral artery and proximally to the costocervical trunk.
It is a short and thick vessel and it divides soon after its origin in three branches:
- inferior thyroid artery
- suprascapular artery
- transversalis artery colli or transverse cervical artery
Additional images
Additional images
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The internal mammary artery and its branches.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]