page_title: Suboccipital triangle
hierarchical_section_title: Suboccipital triangle
caption_attribution_description: English: Suboccipital triangle. &#160;&#160; Obliquus capitis superior muscle &#160;&#160; Rectus capitis posterior major muscle &#160;&#160; Obliquus capitis inferior muscle 日本語: 後頭下三角。 &#160;&#160; 上頭斜筋 &#160;&#160; 大後頭直筋 &#160;&#160; 下頭斜筋
context_page_description: The suboccipital triangle is a region of the neck bounded by the following three muscles of the suboccipital group of muscles:
  Rectus capitis posterior major - above and medially
  Obliquus capitis superior - above and laterally
  Obliquus capitis inferior - below and laterally
  It is covered by a layer of dense fibro-fatty tissue, situated beneath the semispinalis capitis.
  The floor is formed by the posterior atlantooccipital membrane, and the posterior arch of the atlas.
  In the deep groove on the upper surface of the posterior arch of the atlas are the vertebral artery and the first cervical or suboccipital nerve.
  In the past, the vertebral artery was accessed here in order to conduct angiography of the circle of Willis. In these times a formal angiography of the circle of Willis is performed via catheter angiography, with access usually being acquired at the common femoral artery. Alternatively, a computed tomographic angiogram or magnetic resonance angiogram is performed.
context_section_description: The suboccipital triangle is a region of the neck bounded by the following three muscles of the suboccipital group of muscles:
  Rectus capitis posterior major - above and medially
  Obliquus capitis superior - above and laterally
  Obliquus capitis inferior - below and laterally
  (Rectus capitis posterior minor is also in this region but does not form part of the triangle)
  It is covered by a layer of dense fibro-fatty tissue, situated beneath the semispinalis capitis.
  The floor is formed by the posterior atlantooccipital membrane, and the posterior arch of the atlas.
  In the deep groove on the upper surface of the posterior arch of the atlas are the vertebral artery and the first cervical or suboccipital nerve.
  In the past, the vertebral artery was accessed here in order to conduct angiography of the circle of Willis. In these times a formal angiography of the circle of Willis is performed via catheter angiography, with access usually being acquired at the common femoral artery. Alternatively, a computed tomographic angiogram or magnetic resonance angiogram is performed.
caption: Artist depiction of the muscles that border the suboccipital triangle.
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