SECTION VII

HEAD AND NECK 3: TRIANGLES OF THE NECK

               The neck has many structures and the triangles of the neck organize areas of the
neck for easier identification and location of these structures. These triangles also have
importance in the clinical setting for they help point to the etiology of masses and the
like.
 
 
Draw and label the following:
 
1. Anterior Triangle of the Neck

a. Submental Triangle
b. Submandibular Triangle
c. Carotid Triangle
  d. Muscular Triangle
 

 
 
 
 
 
 2. Posterior Triangle of the Neck
 
a. Occipital Triangle
  b. Supraclavicular Triangle

3. Place the borders & contents of each triangle in the table below:
Triangle Borders
Muscular Triangle Superior - hyoid bone
Lateral - superior belly of
omohyoid and anterior
border of
sternocleidomastoid
Medial - midline of neck
Carotid Triangle Anterior - superior belly of
omohyoid muscle
Superior - stylohyoid and
posterior belly of digastric
muscles
Posterior - anterior border
of sternocleidomastoid
muscle
Content
Muscles: thyrohyoid,
sternothyroid, sternohyoid
Vessels: superior and
inferior thyroid arteries,
anterior jugular veins
Viscera: thyroid gland,
parathyroid glands, larynx,
trachea, esophagus
Arteries: common carotid,
external carotid (and
branches except
maxillary, superficial
temporal and posterior
auricular), internal carotid
artery (and sinus)
Veins: internal jugular,

Submandibular Triangle Superior - inferior border
of mandible
Lateral - anterior belly of
digastric muscle
Medial - posterior belly of
digastric muscle
Submental Triangle Inferior - hyoid bone
Lateral - anterior belly of
digastric muscle
Medial - midline of neck
Supraclavicular Triangle Superior - inferior belly of
omohyoid muscle
Anterior -  posterior edge
of sternocleidomastoid
muscle
Posterior - anterior edge of
trapezius muscle
Occipital Triangle Anterior - posterior margin
of sternocleidomastoid
muscle
Posterior - anterior margin
of trapezius muscle
Inferior - inferior belly of
omohyoid muscle
common facial, lingual,
superior thyroid, middle
thyroid veins
Nerves: vagus nerve (CN
X), hypoglossal nerve (CN
XII), part of sympathetic
trunk
Viscera: submandibular
gland and lymph nodes
(anteriorly), caudal part of
the parotid gland
(posteriorly)
Vessels: facial artery and
vein, submental artery and
vein, lingual arteries and
veins
Nerves: mylohyoid,
hypoglossal (CN XII)
Anterior jugular vein,
submental lymph nodes
Third part of the subclavian
artery, brachial plexus
trunks, nerve to subclavius
muscle, lymph nodes
Accessory nerve (CN
XI), branches of the cervical
plexus, upper most part of
brachial plexus,
supraclavicular nerve