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Splenius cervicis muscle

The splenius cervicis muscle is a deep muscle located in the posterior aspect of the neck. It forms part of the intrinsic back muscles and plays a significant role in movements and stabilization of the cervical spine. The muscle lies deep to the trapezius and superficial to the deeper intrinsic muscles of the neck. It works in conjunction with the splenius capitis muscle and is important for head and neck extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. Knowledge of its anatomy and imaging characteristics is essential in clinical practice, particularly in cases of neck pain, trauma, or myopathies.

Origin

  • Lower half of the ligamentum nuchae

  • Spinous processes of thoracic vertebrae T3 to T6

Insertion

  • Posterior tubercles of the transverse processes of cervical vertebrae C1 to C3 (sometimes C4)

Function

  • Bilateral contraction: extends the head and neck

  • Unilateral contraction: laterally flexes and rotates the neck to the same side (ipsilateral rotation)

Nerve Supply

  • Posterior rami of lower cervical spinal nerves (typically C5–C7)

Artery Supply

  • Branches from the descending branch of the occipital artery

  • Deep cervical artery (branch of the costocervical trunk)

Vein Supply

  • Drained by accompanying veins paralleling the arteries, mainly into the deep cervical veins

MRI Appearance

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

  • T2-weighted images: Shows relatively low signal intensity in normal conditions; increased signal may indicate edema or pathology

  • STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery): Suppresses fat and highlights increased fluid; normal muscle is dark, but areas of injury or inflammation will appear hyperintense (bright)

CT Appearance

  • On CT, the splenius cervicis appears as a soft tissue structure with attenuation similar to other skeletal muscles; it can be differentiated by its anatomical location and shape