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Suprascapular artery

The suprascapular artery is a branch of the thyrocervical trunk of the subclavian artery. It courses laterally and posteriorly across the anterior scalene muscle, phrenic nerve, and brachial plexus, then travels toward the scapula. It passes superior to the superior transverse scapular ligament (while the suprascapular nerve passes beneath) to reach the supraspinous fossa, where it supplies the supraspinatus muscle. The artery then continues around the scapular spine to the infraspinous fossa, supplying the infraspinatus muscle. It contributes to the scapular anastomosis, forming collateral connections with the dorsal scapular artery and circumflex scapular artery.

Synonyms

  • Arteria suprascapularis

  • Scapular collateral artery

  • Superior scapular artery

Function

  • Provides blood supply to the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles

  • Contributes to perfusion of the shoulder joint and rotator cuff tendons

  • Plays a key role in the scapular collateral circulation, maintaining perfusion during proximal arterial occlusion

  • Serves as an anatomical landmark in shoulder and neck surgery

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Artery lumen shows a flow void (black signal) due to rapid blood flow

  • Vessel course may be inferred relative to adjacent muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus)

  • Vessel wall appears as a thin hypointense rim

T2-weighted images:

  • Artery lumen also shows a flow void

  • Adjacent edema or pathology (tumor, inflammation) may appear hyperintense, highlighting vessel displacement or encasement

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Fat suppression improves visualization of adjacent inflammatory changes

  • Normal artery remains signal void, but surrounding pathology (myositis, bursitis, mass effect) appears hyperintense

T1 Post-Contrast (Gadolinium-enhanced):

  • Vessel lumen demonstrates bright homogeneous enhancement

  • Contrast highlights the suprascapular artery’s course, bifurcation, and relationship to muscles

  • Useful for evaluating vascular malformations, stenosis, or collateral circulation

CT Appearance

Non-contrast CT:

  • Artery is not well visualized directly, but can be inferred as a soft tissue density structure along the scapula and suprascapular notch

  • Calcifications within the vessel wall (atherosclerosis) appear as hyperdense foci

CT Angiography (CTA):

  • Clearly shows the origin from the thyrocervical trunk, course across the suprascapular notch, and supply to supraspinous and infraspinous fossae

  • Contrast opacifies the lumen, allowing evaluation for stenosis, occlusion, aneurysm, or collateral networks

  • CTA is the modality of choice for mapping the scapular anastomosis in trauma, tumor resection, or vascular compromise

CT image

Suprascapular artery anatomy CT axial image -img-00000-00000

MRI image

Suprascapular artery anatomy MRI coronal image -img-00000-00000

CT image

Suprascapular artery ct axial

MRI image

Suprascapular artery axial cross sectional anatomy 3T MRI AI enhanced radiology image-img-00000-00000