Quick Facts
Origin: Thyrocervical trunk of the subclavian artery.
Course: Laterally parallel to the clavicle, inferiorly across suprascapular notch, and deep to the inferior scapular notch.
Branches: Acromial, muscular, suprasternal, and articular branches, anastomosis with the thoracoacromial and posterior circumflex scapular arteries.
Supplied Structures: Sternocleidomastoid, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus muscles, scapula and clavicle, acromioclavicular and glenohumeral joints, cutaneous supply to the superior thorax and shoulder region.
Related parts of the anatomy
Origin
The suprascapular artery arises indirectly from the subclavian artery via the thyrocervical trunk. In approximately 2% of individuals, it originates directly from the third portion of the subclavian artery (Standring, 2016; Tubbs, Shoja and Loukas, 2016).
Course
The suprascapular artery courses from the subclavian artery within the neck to the superior aspect of the scapula. Through this portion of its course, it runs in a lateral direction roughly parallel to the clavicle. Near its origin in the neck, it lies anterior to the scalenus anterior muscle and deep to the sternocleidomastoid muscle. As it continues laterally, it sits deep to the inferior belly of the omohyoid muscle. Once it reaches the superior aspect of the scapula, it courses over the superior transverse ligament to the supraspinatus fossa of the scapula. It enters the supraspinatus fossa deep to the supraspinatus muscle and continues inferiorly through the inferior scapular notch (or spinoglenoid notch) deep to the inferior transverse ligament, if it is present. It courses deep to the infraspinatus muscle within the infraspinatus fossa.
Branches
The suprascapular artery gives several muscular branches, as well as suprasternal and acromial branches. It terminates by forming an anastomosis with the thoracoacromial and posterior circumflex humeral artery. It also gives an anastomotic branch that traverses the subscapular fossa, deep to the subscapularis muscle, and joins the subscapular artery and the deep branch of the transverse cervical artery.
Supplied Structures
The suprascapular artery gives muscular branches to the sternocleidomastoid, subclavius, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus muscles. The suprasternal and acromial branches give cutaneous supply to the superior portion of the thorax and the shoulder region, respectively. It also supplies the acromioclavicular and glenohumeral joints, as well as the clavicle and scapula (Standring, 2016).
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
Tubbs, R. S., Shoja, M. M. and Loukas, M. (2016) Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation. Wiley.
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Suprascapular Artery
The suprascapular artery is a branch of the thyrocervical trunk and it typically runs on top of the transverse scapular ligament, lateral to the nerve.
