The inferior thyroid artery is a branch of the thyrocervical trunk of the subclavian artery. It initially ascends on longus colli, passes posterior to the vagus nerve and common carotid artery in the carotid sheath before bending back down again and descending to supply the thyroid gland. Just prior to reaching the thyroid gland the artery passes anterior to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (although this relationship may be variable).
Branches of the artery are: the inferior laryngeal artery, the ascending cervical artery, pharyngeal and muscular branches.
The ascending cervical artery passes up between longus capitis and longus colli and sends a number of branches between the intervretebral foramen to supply the spinal cord.
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