Arteria transversa cervicis

The transverse cervical artery, also known as the cervicodorsal trunk, is 1 of the 4 branches of the thyrocervical trunk (off the first part of the subclavian artery).

It is a short artery that 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 anastomosis. It may arise directly from the third or the second part of the subclavian artery. 

Siehe auch:

• thyrocervical trunk
• Arteria cervicalis superficialis
• Arteria dorsalis scapulae

und weiter:

• Truncus thyrocervicalis