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Rectus capitis anterior muscle

The rectus capitis anterior muscle is a small, deep muscle located in the upper cervical region of the neck, anterior to the atlanto-occipital joint. It plays an essential role in the fine movements and stabilization of the head, particularly flexion at the atlanto-occipital joint. Due to its location and function, it is an important structure in both anatomical study and clinical practice, especially in cases of trauma or upper cervical pathology.

Synonyms

  • Anterior rectus capitis muscle

Function

  • Flexion of the head at the atlanto-occipital joint

  • Stabilization of the craniovertebral junction

Origin

  • Anterior surface of the lateral mass of the atlas (C1 vertebra)

Insertion

  • Inferior surface of the basilar part of the occipital bone (just anterior to the foramen magnum)

Nerve Supply

  • Ventral ramus of the first cervical nerve (C1)

Arterial Supply

  • Ascending pharyngeal artery (branch of the external carotid artery)

  • Vertebral artery (muscular branches)

Venous Drainage

  • Venous blood is drained via small veins accompanying the arteries, mainly draining into the vertebral venous plexus and pharyngeal venous plexus

MRI Appearance

  • T1-weighted images:
    Appears as a muscle of intermediate signal intensity (isointense to other skeletal muscles)

  • T2-weighted images:Normal muscle demonstrates relatively low signal intensity, but increased signal may indicate edema or pathology.

  • STIR sequences:
    Normal muscle shows low signal; increased signal may indicate edema or pathology

CT Appearance

  • Seen as a small, well-defined, soft-tissue density muscle anterior to the lateral mass of C1 and adjacent to the atlanto-occipital joint

MRI images

Rectus capitis anterior muscle mri axial image 1 -img-00000-00000