It arises from the thyrocervical trunk and passes upward, in front of the vertebral artery and longus colli muscle.

It then turns medially behind the carotid sheath and its contents, and also behind the sympathetic trunk, the middle cervical ganglion resting upon the vessel.

[2] The recurrent laryngeal nerve passes upward generally behind, but occasionally in front of, the inferior thyroid artery.

The injection of dye into the inferior thyroid artery can be used as an alternate method in identification the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

[3] This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 581 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918) ocular group: central retinal