Anterior Triangle of the Neck

Question 1

What divides the neck into anterior and posterior triangles?

Answer 1

The sternocleidomastoid muscle

Question 2

The anterior triangle of the neck develops from what pharyngeal arch?

Answer 2

First pharangeal arch

Question 3

What are the boundaries of the anterior triangle of the neck?

Answer 3

Superior = lower border of the mandible

Inferior = jugular notch

Anterior = midline of the neck

Posterior = anterior margin of the SCM

Question 4

What are the features of the anterior triangle?

Answer 4

• suprahyoid muscles
• Infrahyoid (strap) muscles
• Blood vessels and nerves
• Thyroid cartilage (laryngeal prominence)

Question 5

What suprahypid muscles are found in the anterior triangle?

Answer 5

• Mylohyoid
• Diagastric
• Geniohyoid
• Stylohyoid

Question 6

What vessels and nerves are found in the anterior triangle of the neck?

Answer 6

• Common carotid (bifurcates into internal and external carotid)
• Internal jugular vein
• Cranial nerevs VII (facial), IX (glossopharyngeal), X (

Question 7

What lymph nodes are found medial to the mandible?

Answer 7

Submandibular lymph nodes

Question 8

What do the submadibular lymph nodes drain?

Answer 8

Area of the mouth, nasal cavity, maxillary sinus and lower parts of the face

Question 9

If you found a painful enlargement of the submandibular lymph nodes, what might this suggest?

Answer 9

Infection of the lower mouth, lower face, nasal cavity or maxillary sinus

Question 10

If someone had a painless enlargement of lymph nodes, what might this suggest?

Answer 10

Malignant change

Question 11

What lymph nodes are found under the chin?

Answer 11

Submental lymph nodes

Question 12

What do submental lymph nodes drain?

Answer 12

Drain the most anterior part of the lower mouth (lower lip, skin and chin, tip of the tongue, front of the floor of the mouth and submandibular salivary gland)

Question 13

The submandibular salivary gland is found where?

Answer 13

Between the angle of the mandible and the hyoid bone

Question 14

What is the muscle that is found under the skin which extends from just above the mandible into the face and sweeps down just below the neck on either side called?

Answer 14

Platysma

Question 15

What does the platysma do?

Answer 15

Maintains the tone of tissues in the necl

Is a muscle of facial expression

Question 16

What is labelled C in the diagram?

Answer 16

Anterior belly of digastric muscle

Question 17

What connects the anterior belly of the digastric mucle to the posterior belly?

Answer 17

Central tendon ( which is held on by fascia to the hyoid bone)

Question 18

Deep to the anterior belly of the diagstric muscle, there is another muscle that comes from the mandible and runs on upper surface of diagatric. What is it?

Answer 18

Mylohyoid muscle

Question 19

What are the attachments of the sternocleidomastoid muscle?

Answer 19

• Mastoid process
• Sternum (manubrium)
• Calvicle

Question 20

What are the 2 heads of the sternocleidomastoid muscle called?

Answer 20

• Sternal head
• Clavicular head

Question 21

The external jugular vein comes from around the angle of the mandible and makes its way down the neck. Why might you be concerned if this vein stands out when standing or sitting?

Answer 21

Can be a sign of cardiac failure or obstruction

Question 22

What strap-muscles are found in the anterior triangle of the neck?

Answer 22

• sternohyoid
• omohyoid
• sternothryoid
• Thyrohyoid

Question 23

What does the omohyoid strap muscle regulate?

Answer 23

Movement of hyoid bone

Question 24

What is Adam’s apple also termed?

Answer 24

The laryngeal prominence or thyroid cartilage

Question 25

What cartilage is found below the laryngeal prominence about halfway between the manubrium and hyoid bone?

Answer 25

Cricoid cartilage

Note: there is a membrane between the cricoid and thyroid cartilage

Question 26

Where is the first ring of the trachea found?

Answer 26

Just a bit down from the cricoid cartilage, above the thyroid gland

Question 27

Where does the thyroid gland sit with reference to the tracheal rings and the sternothyroid muscle?

Answer 27

Sits just below the first traheal ring and part of it is behind the sternothyroid muscles

Question 28

Describe the different parts of the thyroid gland.

Answer 28

The middle part is termed the isthmus and it has lobes

The isthmus sits in front of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rings of the trachea

Question 29

Where is the common carotid artery found?

Answer 29

Tucked behind a lobe of the thyroid gland and makes its way up the neck

Question 30

At what level does the common carotid branch and into what?

Answer 30

At the level of the of the upper border if the thyroid cartilage

Branches into internal and external carotid artery

Question 31

The external carotid artery gives off a branch at the start of it. What is it and what does it supply?

Answer 31

The superior thyroid artery and supplies the thyroid gland

Question 32

Where does the internal jugular vein lie with regards to the common carotid?

Answer 32

Just lateral to it

Question 33

What lymph nodes are found close to the internal jugular vein?

Answer 33

Deep cervical lymph nodes

Note: disease of the neck sometimes spread to these lymph nodes

Question 34

What is the nerve supply to the diagastric muscle? (both anterior and posterior)

Answer 34

Anterior belly = nerve to mylohyoid

Posterior belly = facial nerve

Question 35

What is the nerve supply ot the stylohyoid?

Answer 35

Facial nerve (then runs to posterior belly of diagastric)

Question 36

What is the nerve supply to the the mylhyoid muscle?

Answer 36

Mylohyoid nerve

Question 37

What is the nerve supply to the geniohyoid?

Answer 37

Hypoglossal nerve

Question 38

What is the nerve supply to the omohyoid, sternohyoid and sternothyroid?

Answer 38

Ansa cervicalis

Question 39

What is the nerve supply to the thyrohyoid muscle?

Answer 39

Hypoglossal nerve