Triangles of the neck

The triangles of the neck are surgically focused divisions of the neck, first described from early dissection-based anatomical studies which predated cross-sectional anatomical description based on cross-sectional imaging (see deep spaces of the neck).

The neck can be divided into anterior and posterior triangles by the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and each triangle again further subdivided:

• anterior triangle
  • digastric triangle
  • carotid triangle
  • muscular triangle
  • submental triangle
• posterior triangle
  • occipital triangle
  • supraclavicular triangle